President Erdoğan calls for ‘national mobilization’ against terrorist organizations

ANKARA

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for a “national mobilization against all terrorist organizations” on Dec. 14 during a speech to neighborhood heads at the Presidential Palace in Ankara. 

“As the leader of the Republic of Turkey, according to Article 104 of our constitution, I declare a national mobilization against the PKK [the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party], DEASH [an Arabic abbreviation of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant], FETÖ [the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization], DHKP-C [the outlawed Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front] and all other terrorist organizations, whatever their names, arguments or methods,” Erdoğan said.

“We cannot leave our security solely in the hands of the security forces. I am calling on all my citizens to help our security forces,” he added. 

“Whoever has information about the activities of these organizations should immediately inform our security forces,” the president said.

Erdoğan also again claimed that dark external forces were acting against Turkey’s interests.   

“As we are facing the greatest attacks in our history through the acts of these terrorist organizations, it is our right to retaliate,” he said. 

He noted that a total of 1,178 people have been killed during the fight with the PKK since July 20, 2015, while around 330 people have been killed in ISIL attacks and 248 were killed during the July 15 failed coup attempt.   

Erdoğan said 17 soldiers had been killed in the Euphrates Shield Operation, which was launched on Aug. 20 in northern Syria to clear Turkey’s borders of ISIL and the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

“However, the PKK’s losses in our domestic and foreign operations has reached 9,500. There have been 40,000 detentions and 10,500 arrests made in operations targeting their structures. ISIL’s loss is at a total of 1,800, and the number of arrests in operations against FETÖ has passed 40,000,” he added, while urging the security forces to take “harsh measures against terrorist organizations.” 

“Your state and your nation are all supporting you in your fight against terrorist organizations. Never hesitate to implement your authority. I want our security forces to strongly fight within the framework of the law,” Erdoğan said.