President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s determination to eliminate terrorist groups, which he said would be either “peacefully or by force.”
Speaking at the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) 8th Provincial Congress in Kayseri province, Erdoğan said: “As Türkiye, our goal is to ensure the peaceful or forceful elimination of all terrorist organizations in Syria.”
He also said that the PKK/YPG structure has now become defunct, adding that “like every structure that has expired while serving the agenda of others, it is close to being thrown into the trash.”
“If those who turned Syria and our region into hell with the plot of Daesh in the recent past are once again attempting to set the same trap, this time they will not succeed,” the president added.
Erdoğan emphasized that the sole aim of the People’s Alliance is to establish a terror-free Türkiye, reiterating that no other negotiations or intentions exist beyond this objective.
“Our efforts to eliminate the scourge of terrorism, which has plagued our nation for over 40 years, continue unabated,” Erdoğan stated. “In recent weeks, we have made significant progress. I urge our citizens to understand that in every step we take, we consider the sensitivities of our martyrs’ families and veterans.”
The president underlined that the People’s Alliance is firmly committed to this goal, stating, “Our only focus is opening the doors to a terror-free Türkiye. We have no other agenda or hidden motives. With the contributions of all, we will achieve this goal sooner or later.”
The president’s remarks come amidst ongoing efforts to combat terrorism across the nation, with recent developments signaling a renewed push toward lasting peace and security.
Türkiye is going through a new stage in the fight against the PKK with the ‘terror-free Türkiye initiative’ proposed by a government ally that may reduce the risk of violence at a time of regional threats.
The plan, at least for now, focuses on persuading the terrorist group to lay down arms while future steps will likely depend on the actions of the PKK and its affiliates, from a political party involved in the new initiative to the Syrian wing of the group that grew in strength after the unrest began in the neighboring country in 2011.
In Syria, the PKK’s local wing YPG is another component of the terrorism problem. The YPG already faces pressure from the Syrian National Army (SNA), which captured several towns from the terrorist group. Its leader Ferhat Abdi Şahin appears backing the initiative and recently said it would have “a positive impact.” Both Türkiye and the new rulers of post-Assad Syria call for the group to dissolve itself.