President Erdoğan performs Friday prayer in Istanbul

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan performed Friday prayer at Hz. Ali Mosque in Istanbul.

Following the prayer, President Erdoğan responded to reporters’ questions.

“WE WILL CONTINUE OUR FIGHT AGAINST TERROR”

Answering a question regarding Türkiye’s anti-terror operations, President Erdoğan said the number of the terrorists neutralized in the Operation Claw-Lock had reached 45, and that all the units and commandos were doing their parts in the operations. “We will uninterruptedly continue our fight against terror,” the President stressed.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Asked about his talks with President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, and if there was any possibility that the two leaders could come to Istanbul for a meeting, President Erdoğan noted that he was planning to speak with both leaders that day or the following, and said: “With these talks, we inshallah plan to maintain the process in Istanbul at leaders’ level. I hope they accept our invitation and we hold this high-level meeting in Istanbul.”

OPERATION CLAW-LOCK

Also asked about his assessments on the Operation Claw-Lock, President Erdoğan drew attention to the achievements of the Turkish soldiers and commandos during the operation, and said: “We endeavor to complete this operation without any concession and with, hopefully, the least possible damage. It will take some time but the outcomes will inshallah be auspicious for our nation, homeland and state.”