Türkiye determined to make its borders safe: Erdoğan

KONYA

Türkiye is determined to secure its borders against terrorist attacks, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, amid increased aerial military operations into the PKK/YPG targets in northern Iraq and northern Syria.

“Hopefully, with these operations, step by step, we are determined to make every inch of our country safe, starting from beyond the border,” Erdoğan said at a rally he held in the Central Anatolian town of Konya over the weekend.

Erdoğan referred to ongoing Claw-Lock and Claw-Sword operations against terrorists. Three soldiers were martyred over the weekend in clashes. “We remember with grace all our heroes who have sacrificed their lives for our nation and state’s stability as well as for us to have a peaceful and strong future,” he stated.

Erdoğan attended the opening ceremony of ASELSAN Konya Weapon Systems Factory, Metropolitan Municipality investments, Afşar Dam and other recently-built facilities.

His remarks came after the Turkish Air Forces launched a massive aerial operation against the presence of PKK/YPG in northern Iraq and Syria in reaction to a deadly bomb attack by terrorists in Istanbul in mid-November. The terrorists also hit residential areas in the bordering town of Kilis and Gaziantep with missiles, killing civilians.

Erdoğan, in an earlier statement, also underlined that the Turkish army is poised to launch a new ground operation against the terrorists in northern Syria in a bid to eliminate terrorist threats.

In Konya, he hailed Türkiye’s efforts to become self-sufficient in the defense industry. “We are officially inaugurating our weapon systems factory, which we have founded under the guidance of ASELSAN with 470 million liras worth of investment, and which will carry out world-class manufacturing,” Erdoğan said.

“Our factory is a facility, which, with its weapon production of every diameter and caliber, particularly remote-controlled weapon systems, adds outstanding features to the defense industry in our country,” the president stressed.

“Thus, Konya, by elevating its weapon manufacturing journey, which started with shotguns, to the level of a global player, has opened up new doors for both itself and our country,” he added.