No place for PKK, ISIS in the future of the region: Erdogan

By Al Mayadeen English
17 Dec 2024 14:48

Turkiye's president has reiterated that terrorism, including groups like ISIS and the PKK, will not be allowed to flourish in the region.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a news conference in Ankara, Turkey, on May 13, 2024. (AP)

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Islamic State (ISIS) do not have a future in the region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted on Tuesday.

During a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Erdogan said, "There is no place for the Kurdistan Workers' Party PKK and its extensions, nor for ISIS, in the future of the region," adding that terrorism would not be allowed to thrive in the region.

Erdogan also pointed out that Syria cannot recover on its own and must be urgently supported.

In this context, it is worth noting that the so-called Dawn of Freedom operations room, affiliated with the Turkish-backed National Army fighters, announced on Tuesday the launch of a military operation against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Ain al-Arab, located in the eastern Aleppo countryside and northern Raqqa in northern Syria.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Syria noted that "Turkey seeks to establish a security belt 30 kilometers wide along its border with Syria," confirming that it is "getting closer to achieving its goal."

He also reported that Turkish drones have been targeting SDF positions in the village of Bir Khat in the western countryside of Tal Abyad.

Earlier, the Turkish Ministry of Defense stated that it would not allow "the PKK terrorist organization, which poses a serious threat to Syria's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the security of our region, to benefit from the instability in the area," emphasizing that it is taking all necessary measures to maintain stability in the region.