Türkiye ‘gradually taking control beyond its borders’: President Erdogan

ISTANBUL

Efforts are underway to gradually establish control beyond Türkiye’s borders, the nation’s president said on Wednesday, referring to a long-standing terrorist threat along Türkiye’s southern frontier with Iraq and Syria, and concerted military operations to eliminate that threat.

"We have rendered the (terrorist group) PKK unable to move or carry out actions within our borders," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told an election rally in the Diyarbakir province, near both Syria and Iraq.

"While many countries around us are writhing in a circle of blood and fire, we have never, and will never, tolerate those who attempt to disrupt our security and peace," he added.

He also stressed the urgency of taking action to protect the peace for Türkiye’s 85 million people, adding that "it must be done immediately.”

Underlining the four decades of terrorist attacks that Türkiye has endured, Erdogan stressed that such a situation cannot be tolerated for another 40 years.

In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

In recent months, Erdogan has stressed his intention to definitively eliminate the border threats by the end of this summer.

Türkiye’s local elections, held nationwide every five years, are set for Sunday.