President Erdoğan: We have neutralized 420 so-called high-level terrorists

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at members of domestic security agencies following fast-breaking meal, or iftar, in Istanbul.

“In just two-and-half years alone, we have neutralized 420 so-called high-level terrorists, including 16 red-listed terrorists,” Erdoğan told.

“We have decreased the number of terrorists on our borders to around 700, which was once around 2,000,” he said, adding that there was a considerable decrease in number of people joining the terror group and its capacity to act.

Erdoğan also said that the “murderers”, who attempted to attack on unity, solidarity and lives of Turkish nation, have been made to pay the price of each drop of blood they shed. “They will continue to pay for it,” he added.

He noted that Turkey’s operations in Syria have dealt a heavy blow to offshoots of Daesh and PKK terrorist groups.

He highlighted that other areas under the control of terror group would be cleared “suddenly in one night.”

Erdoğan reiterated that the country would never allow the formation of a terror corridor near its borders, and added: “We will not leave the future of our Syrian Kurdish, Arab and Turkmen brothers to the mercy of new colonial aspirations.”

On Turkey’s fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), Erdoğan said: “We will continue to fight until last betrayer FETO member is brought to justice.”