Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the country has entered a new phase through its "Türkiye without terror" efforts, a day after PKK terror group's jailed ringleader Abdullah Ocalan called for the dissolution of all groups under the terrorist organisation and urged an end to its more than 40-year-long terror campaign.
Speaking at the Halic Congress Center in an event to mark the 30th anniversary of the Kanal 7 Media Group, Erdogan said that Türkiye faced "very serious difficulties in its 40-year trial against terrorism" while emphasising that "almost all of the excuses that the terrorist organisation used as a tool for exploitation have either been eliminated or resolved."
"As of yesterday, a new phase has been entered in the 'Turkey without terror' efforts that started with the bold initiative of our People's Alliance partner, Nationalist Movement Party Chairman Mr. Devlet Bahceli, and advanced with our determined stance," he added.
In its 40-year terror campaign, the PKK terror group — recognised as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and EU — has caused over 40,000 deaths, including women, children, and the elderly.
Erdogan said, "We have the opportunity to take a historic step on the path to the goal of tearing down the wall of terror that has been erected between our thousand-year-old brotherhood."
"The disruption of the insidious and dirty game that imperialism has been playing in this geography for two centuries will not only be a gain for our country and citizens, but also for our entire region," he said, referring to the colonial powers’ role in the region.
"No individual of this nation, Turks and Kurds, will forgive anyone who has caused the process to become deadlocked with ambivalent rhetoric and actions, as has been the case in the past," said Erdogan, adding, "We will meticulously monitor through our relevant institutions whether the process that has begun has been fulfilled with all its elements."
Erdogan warned, "Türkiye will not only thwart the bloody games of imperialism, but will also hopefully reach its goals in economic development and foreign and domestic policy more quickly."
He promised everyone one in the country will benefit and prosper from a terror-free situation.
"The winner of a 'Türkiye without terror' effort will be, with Allah’s permission, all 85 million people, every single member of our nation, regardless of whether they are Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Alevis or Sunnis."