For example;

In Syria, opposition-baked forces have taken Aleppo city and other strategic centres in an attempt to remove Syria’s authoritarian leader Assad. Assad’s forces are resisting on the ground while Russian air forces attacked the opposition force’s positions. Israel announced it may strike Syria government munitions sites in a move to ensure opposition forces do not take possession of such weaponry.

Meanwhile, fighting has intensified on the Ukraine-Russia frontlines after:

• North Korea deployed a 10,000-strong assistance force to the Kursk region;
• Outgoing US President Joe Biden authorised Ukraine to fire ATTACM missiles deep into Russia;
• Ukraine indeed fired ATTACMs into the Russian motherland and has increased its drone attacks on military targets in cities once regarded as safe from attack.
• Also, and significantly, Russia fired into Dnipro City in Ukraine a hypersonic “experimental” Medium-Range-Ballistic-Missile – and followed up with the biggest barrage of drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since the conflict began.

So-called “red-lines” have been crossed and all sides appear determined to take as much territory as possible before US President-Elect Donald Trump is sworn into office in January.

Paul and Selwyn assess what we can expect to witness in the next two months, how other state actors are being drawn into conflict, and what objectives are driving warring sides at flashpoints around the world.

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On the evening of July 15, 2016, the “Fethullahist Terrorist Organization” (FETO) launched a bloody coup attempt against the people and the government of my country. Their aim was to establish a radical, fundamentalist regime, loyal only to their ringleader Fetullah Gülen.

As FETO affiliated army units left their barracks to occupy key locations, such as the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul and fighter jets and attack helicopters bombed strategic targets including the Parliament, Presidential compound, army and police headquarters; thousands of civilians took to the streets to stop this unprecedented heinous coup attempt. The plotters killed 251 innocent civilians and left thousands injured. On that night the Turkish people defended democracy with their lives. This heroic response was something the conspirators did not foresee.

To understand what transpired, one has to understand the true nature of FETO. FETO was established in the late 1960’s as a so-called “religious movement”. In the guise of promoting education and inter-religious dialogue, it managed to cover its malign intentions.

The well-planned and wide-spread infiltration by FETO members and converts into the army, law enforcement, judiciary and numerous government institutions, including my Ministry, was carried out for decades clandestinely for an overarching plan, of which the final phase was unleashed on July 15, 2016.

Had the coup attempt succeeded, there would have been a very different Türkiye today. Democracy would not have existed and fundamental rights and freedoms would have been suspended indefinitely. The nation would have fallen in the hands of an extremist government. 

FETO not only controlled a significant portion of educational institutions, but also owned numerous financial institutions. Their bank accounts were fed by prominent FETO members in industry and commerce, as well as by officials and members of the public. Many innocent civilians were also lured into contributing to FETO’s finances as their piety was manipulated. The enormous income driven from their schools around the globe was channeled into these accounts clandestinely waiting for their ultimate move.

Following the bloody coup attempt of July 15, 2016, a resolute cleansing of the public sector, including government institutions and the military, as well as of the private sector from all FETO affiliated persons and companies was initiated.  Some prominent conspirators have been apprehended. Others escaped justice and found refuge in foreign countries. The head of the FETO terrorist organization, Fethullah Gülen, still resides in the United States. Our government has been requesting the extradition of Gülen to Türkiye from the United States as well as that of FETO members from European countries for years. Unfortunately, these requests have not been fulfilled yet. 

On the other hand, elsewhere in the world, an increasing number of governments understand the danger this terrorist organization also poses to them and are taking the necessary steps. FETO is also engaged in illegal activities such as visa fraud, money laundering and arms trafficking. Consequently, FETO members are being cleared from public and private sectors in many countries. Many schools affiliated with this terrorist organization abroad have been transferred to the Turkish Maarif Foundation after 2016. Today, Maarif Schools are functioning in many countries and are providing excellent education worldwide.

The nature and scope of Türkiye’s fight against FETO is no different than that exercised by other countries against organizations which had terrorized officials and civilians alike, and endangered democratic values, fundamental rights and freedoms. Türkiye is doing what the respective countries in their fight against terrorism have done in the past. All procedures are in compliance with law.

Terrorism does not have a nationality, ethnicity or religion. This menace threatens humanity as a whole. Therefore, the response to this threat must be united and determined. No state has the luxury to differentiate between terrorists and no terrorist organization can be classified as “useful” according to preferences. FETO is responsible for the loss of hundreds of lives as well as other grave crimes against the Turkish people. Six years after July 15, 2016, Türkiye continues its resolute fight against FETO, just as it continues its fight against other terrorist organizations such as the PKK, PYD-YPG, DHKP-C and DAESH.

We expect the international community to stand in solidarity with Türkiye in the fight against terrorism.

*******

EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed in this OP-ED do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, but are and should be read as an unedited account as submitted by the writer.

A View from Afar – In this podcast, political scientist Paul Buchanan and Selwyn Manning examine the Implications of the Russia-Ukrainian conflict and how it impacts on regional security architecture.

In particular, we assess Finland and Sweden’s move to become NATO members and whether Turkey will prevent this from occurring.

Also, this week, Russia’s Vladimir Putin hosted the leaders of Russia’s equivalent to NATO – the CSTO, which stands for the Collective Security Treaty Organization and includes: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.

Belarus’ authoritarian leader, Aleksandr Lukashenko, was the only leader of the CSTO to speak persuasively about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Paul and I analyse the CSTO meeting and discuss its relevancy from a security and geopolitical perspective and what implications all this has on the East Asia region.

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Recent developments with regard to Operation Peace Spring in north-east Syria has garnered plenty of coverage both internationally and locally. I wish to impart my perspective for a more balanced understanding of what is really happening on the ground.

Since the conflict began in Syria, almost 9 years ago and after Syria, her neighbours have suffered the most. As the conflict protracted, terrorist organisations found safe haven there and built up organisational and military capabilities. In the last two years, alone, PYD/YPG a branch of the PKK terrorist organisation, perpetrated over 300 terrorist attacks targeting civilians in Turkey and Syria.

Turkey bore the financial and social burden of Syrians fleeing their country, receiving rather modest support from the international community. The number of refugees Turkey is hosting is nearing the population of New Zealand.

Refugee flows, terrorist threats and instability have reached an unbearable level for Turkey. The best way to eradicate terrorist threats is to establish a safe zone along the border. This would encourage voluntary repatriation of around one million Syrian refugees.

Turkey, since the conflict began, has made every effort to ensure its security and find a solution for the refugees, but without result. As a last resort, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring The Turkish-US Joint Statement ¹ and the Memorandum of Understanding agreed to between Turkey and the Russian Federation ² on north-east Syria demonstrates that Turkey prefers diplomacy and peace, over use of force.

These documents essentially suggest Turkey put Operation Peace Spring on hold for an agreed period on condition the US and RF facilitated PYD/YPG’s withdrawal from the agreed area. Turkey made it clear that if the provisions agreed failed the Operation would continue because the threat is a matter of national security. Since the provisions are in place and have held steady, Turkey put an end to the Operation. Operation Peace Spring may not have been necessary, had these agreements come earlier.

In spite of these facts, reaction to the Operation was unfair and far removed from reality. I would like the opportunity to clarify.

The Operation was not against Syrian Kurds but PYD/YPG terrorists.

PYD/YPG forms the core of the Syrian Democratic Forces who are inseparable with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the PKK in Turkey. New Zealand, the US and, the EU recognise the PKK, a major threat to the territorial integrity of Syria, as a terrorist organisation. PYD/YPG do not only conduct terrorist attacks in Turkey, but also recruit children as fighters ³ intimidating its dissidents, and repressing populations under its rule, in Syria.

Moreover, if Turkey was an enemy of Syrian Kurdas and targeting them, Turkey would not be hosting, hundreds of thousands of Syrian Kurds who sought refuge in Turkey, throughout the conflict.

PYD/YPG is blackmailing the international community by using DAESH

Turkey is a member of the Global Coalition Against DAESH and the only member of the Coalition whose soldiers fought chest-to-chest against them.

Operation Peace Spring aims to remove all terrorist elements, including DAESH. In 2017, Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria was an Operation that saw significant numbers of DAESH terrorists seized and imprisoned. In spite of Turkey’s dedicated fight against DAESH, PYD/YPG has spread baseless claims that DAESH prisoners may flee, taking advantage of Turkey’s latest Operation. DAESH prisoners can only flee if PYD/YPG frees them. Turkey is committed to her promises and have officially assumed the responsibility of DAESH prisoners where she controls. The international community must not be deceived by PYD/YPG blackmail.

Protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure is Turkey’s top priority.

In compliance with international law, Turkey conducted Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016-2017 and Operation Olive Branch in 2018 and this latest Operation to protect civilians. Turkey has implemented a humanitarian aid campaign in coordination with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) and other relevant international organisations.

Turkey has been fighting against PKK terrorism for 40 years now and will continue to take all necessary actions to ensure its security and fight against terrorism. I believe the international community should be on the right side in the fight against terrorism.

Ahmet ERGİN, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey

1^ https://www.tccb.gov.tr/en/speeches-statements/558/111164/joint-turkish-us-statement-on-northeast-syria
2^ http://en.kremlin.ru/supplement/5452
3^ https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/08/03/syria-armed-group-recruiting-children-camps

The Turkish Embassy in New Zealand issued Evening Report this unabridged United States of America-Republic of Turkey joint-statement detailing what both sides agreed to regarding Turkey’s military operations within the so-called security zone within Syrian territory near Turkey’s southern border. It is dated October 17, 2019.

UNABRIDGED: JOINT TURKISH-US STATEMENT ON NORTHEAST SYRIA

1. The US and Turkey reaffirm their relationship as fellow members of NATO. The US understands Turkey’s legitimate security concerns on Turkey’s southern border.

2. Turkey and the US agree that the conditions on the ground, northeast Syria in particular, necessitate closer coordination on the basis of common interests.

3. Turkey and the US remain committed to protecting NATO territories and NATO populations against all threats with the solid understanding of “one for all and all for one”.

4. The two countries reiterate their pledge to uphold human life, human rights, and the protection of religious and ethnic communities.

5. Turkey and the US are committed to D-ISIS/DAESH activities in northeast Syria. This will include coordination on detention facilities and internally displaced persons from formerly ISIS/DAESH-controlled areas, as appropriate.

6. Turkey and the US agree that counter-terrorism operations must target only terrorists and their hideouts, shelters, emplacements, weapons, vehicles and equipment.

7. The Turkish side expressed its commitment to ensure safety and well-being of residents of all population centers in the safe zone controlled by the Turkish Forces (safe zone) and reiterated that maximum care will be exercised in order not to cause harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure. The U.S. will assist in this effort through diplomatic and political means.

8. Both countries reiterate their commitment to the political unity and territorial integrity of Syria and UN-led political process, which aims at ending the Syrian conflict in accordance with UNSCR 2254.

9. The two sides agreed on the continued importance and functionality of a safe zone in order to address the national security concerns of Turkey, to include the re-collection of YPG heavy weapons and the disablement of their fortifications and all other fighting positions.

10. The safe zone will be primarily enforced by the Turkish Armed Forces and the two sides will increase their cooperation in all dimensions of its implementation.

11. The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow the withdrawal of YPG from the safe zone within 120 hours. Operation Peace Spring will be halted upon completion of this withdrawal.

12. Once Operation Peace Spring is paused, the US agrees not to pursue further imposition of sanctions under the Executive Order of October 14, 2019, Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria, and will work and consult with Congress, as appropriate, to underline the progress being undertaken to achieve peace and security in Syria, in accordance with UNSCR 2254. Once Operation Peace Spring is halted as per paragraph 11 the current sanctions under the aforementioned Executive Order shall be lifted.

13. Both parties are committed to work together to implement all the goals outlined in this Statement.

We are commemorating the third anniversary of the failed coup attempt of 15 July 2016, by FETÖ, the clandestine and terrorist organisation led by the criminal mastermind Fetullah Gülen. The heinous actions by FETÖ on that day remain the bloodiest terror attack in the history of the Republic of Turkey.

The night of 15 July 2016 tested the Turkish will and resolution for our democracy.

We should remember that the people, all the political parties, both in government and in opposition, the uninfected elements of the armed forces, police force and the media stood against the uprising. Turks displayed an unprecedented solidarity when they stood selflessly in front of the military hardware of these coup plotters.

These putschists blitzed Parliament, the Presidential complex, the buildings of the National Intelligence headquarters and assaulted the Turkish National Police department. The Police Special Operations Center, a vital counter-terrorism operational body in the capital, Ankara, was bombarded by fighter jets, killing 55 police officers and injuring hundreds more. On that fateful night, 251 Turks were martyred, and more than 2,000 were wounded.

However, to judge the deeds of Fetullah Gülen and FETÖ only with what transpired on 15 July would be an oversight. The crimes committed on the night of 15 July were just the tip of the iceberg.

FETÖ sought for decades to infiltrate critical government institutions like the police, judiciary and armed forces, as part of their sinister efforts to reinstate their regime in Turkey.

All evidence collected in the aftermath and throughout the thorough administrative and judicial investigations and trials since have indicated that FETÖ, led by Fetullah Gülen orchestrated numerous criminal activities, for example large scale cheatings at the admission tests for public institutions, illegal wiretapping and money laundering operations. The police and the judiciary have taken action to dismiss the members of this cultish organisation from within their ranks.

Back in the 1970s, the movement started under the guise of a charitable education effort. Fetullah Gülen and his followers masqueraded themselves as a benign education movement, when they started the campaign of establishing schools in Turkey and later around the world. At the peak of their power, they controlled thousands of schools in Turkey and more than eight hundred educational institutions worldwide. In terms of their influence, they were unparalleled.

We now understand that this was the first step of an infiltration campaign where children and their parents were recruited with the seemingly innocent promise of a better education followed by good employment prospects. These youngsters were put through an education system with academic and financial help and a heavy hand in indoctrination. They turned into obedient foot soldiers of Fetullah Gülen who claims to be the Chosen One.

His goal was to subvert the democratic foundations of the Turkish state and establish a new anti-democratic state under his supreme rule. His students were told that, in order to achieve their main goal of absolute control of the state, they should remain hidden and should shun all ethical, religious or personal beliefs.

Attaching great importance to confidentiality in its structure, and disguising this confidentiality as a “precaution”, the organisation uses “code” names for its members to ensure secrecy. This secrecy creates a unique and peculiar armed terrorist organisation where its lower level members know each other by their code names of a “celltype” structure.

There were mass-scale exam cheatings also: In order to infiltrate crucial government posts, FETÖ affiliated students were provided with the answers to entrance exams. There are currently numerous investigations into exam cheatings on a mass-scale in Turkey, including the Police Academy entrance tests, the Centralised Public Service Admission Tests, Military Schools and other government organisations.

The handlers of those FETÖ members staffed at critical governmental posts ensured their indoctrination was current and passed on the instructions of their leader. As civil servants or military personnel, FETÖ members’ loyalty was not to the nation or to the state they served.

They did not care about upholding the constitution or the legal system of the country.

Thus, the organisation that disguised itself as an education movement disturbingly turned into a secretive operational structure aiming to transform Turkish society by taking control of the state from within.

As its strength grew, the organisation claimed a global messianic mission, depicting Fetullah Gülen as the Imam of the Universe.

The crime syndicate behind all this devised and ran an integrated system that took care of recruitment through schools and cram schools; financing was taken care of by holding companies and donations from business people. They also established media houses to shape public opinion for and against any person, group or idea. Many people in Turkey who saw the organisation for what it really is got lynched and purged through these media houses. These media houses became the focal point of actions taken against journalists, academicians, bureaucrats and military officers who opposed them, or tried to expose them.

As the organisation became more affluent, it started meddling in business transactions and government tender processes. Laundering enormous sums of money, arranging illegal transfers of cash and other financial crimes became business as usual.

The FETÖ members infiltrating critical state posts abused their power to eliminate those opposing the organisation. Some methods included illegal wiretapping, fabricating evidence, unlawful arrests, thereby intimidating and blackmailing a large segment of the society including politicians, businessmen, journalists, athletes and artists among many.

Turkish judicial authorities rendered numerous conviction decisions against members of this crime syndicate due to its various criminal acts, some of which have already been mentioned.

Thousands of investigations and prosecutions, concerning the illegal activities of FETÖ members, are still pending. The finalised and ongoing investigations, prosecutions and trials yielded that Fetullah Gülen is the administrator and ringleader of FETÖ armed terrorist organisation and that he gave the order to stage the coup.

Once the Turkish Government understood what was actually in play, the necessary legal actions were taken against FETÖ, in particular, the disclosure of their secret communication systems (ByLock, Eagle, etc.). Interceptions of FETÖ instructions made the Turkish Government’s efforts to identify their schemes and to incriminate them, easier.

Friday, 15 July 2016 was a desperate eleventh hour plot by FETÖ, at the time when the Turkish Government had discovered and listed most of the so-called military personnel, the actual recruits of FETÖ, and were readying themselves to dismiss them.

In other words, 15 July was a frantic move by Fetullah Gülen and his followers to seize the state and retain their control in Turkey.

The armed coup attempt on 15 July demonstrated FETÖ’s tenacity to unwaveringly use terror, alongside other crimes, as a means to achieve its ultimate aim. With this act, FETÖ has clearly shown itself to the world as one of the most dangerous terrorist groups. Subsequently, the 16th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation decreed on 24 April 2017 by its judgement merit no. 2015/3 and decision no. 2017/3 that FETÖ is an armed terrorist organisation and the Assembly of Criminal Chambers of the Court of Cassation upheld this judgement.

FETÖ is present in 160 countries, with thousands of schools, businesses, NGOs and media houses. Their modus operandi is the same globally. As they aim to infiltrate and enlarge their global economic and political influence, they represent a direct security threat for any country they operate in.

In these critical and most dangerous times, Turkey needs support and encouragement from her friends. We appreciate the invaluable support of our true friend, New Zealand, one of the first countries to express its solidarity with Turkey after the unfortunate events, which unfolded on 15 July 2016.

—

EDITOR’S NOTE: The views expressed within op-ed articles are not necessarily those of, or shared by, EveningReport.nz and the MIL-OSI network and are published due to public and international interest principals.

by H.E. Mr Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey

This week Istanbul will host two separate but related international conferences on mediation. One will be devoted to the state of play in the conflict map and capacity for mediation within the membership of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The second one will adopt a broad scope and discuss the connections between sustainable development, peace and mediation; the ways to increase gender and youth inclusion in mediation processes; and a thought provoking session on the role of big data and artificial intelligence in conflict and mediation analysis. It may be thought that conferences are conferences but the Istanbul Mediation Conferences have proven rather influential in cultivating a shared understanding of issues and an agenda for action in the field of mediation and peaceful conflict resolution. As the host of these conferences and the only country that co-chairs the Friends of Mediation Groups in three distinct important international organizations, namely the United Nations, the OIC and the OSCE, Turkey has the ability to share the findings of these conferences in these international organizations.

The fact of the matter is that humanity is facing a distinct challenge in the 21^st century. Just when many people thought that the glass is half full in terms of the achievements in international law, institutions, democracy and the rule of law, accountability, free trade, gender equality and others, the empty half of the glass has begun to reassert itself. The symptoms are known to all of us and need no reminding. Trade wars, new forms of international exploitation, geopolitical competitions, great power proxy wars, disintegrating nation states, terrorism, xenophobia, animosity against Islam, raging inequalities and injustice count among the contemporary trends that make up the glass half empty. The challenges of humanity are eating away the achievements and opportunities of humanity. Which side will prevail? The answer depends on how we respond to challenges, including on how much we humans can work together towards positive outcomes. One point is clear: unless we take initiative and be enterprising and humanitarian, the bad will prevail. Wait-and-see attitude is no longer tenable. Policy options differ from mediation to actual use of force against terrorists.

Take the situation in Syria. Turkey’s enterprising and humanitarian approach cleared a total of 4000 square kilometers from two terrorist organizations, DEASH and PKK/PYD/YPG. Had we not intervened, our people would have been under continued assault from these terrorists and a political solution to the Syrian tragedy would have been unreachable. Turkey is doing utmost to relieve humanitarian suffering, hosting the greatest number of refugees worldwide, spending more than the biggest economy in the world as the world’s top humanitarian spender. Turkey is also brokering agreements that save tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives and promoting a political solution based on the territorial integrity of the neighboring Syria.

I gave the example of Syria for a reason. Syria demonstrates to us once again that prevention is important because once the fire of conflict engulfs a nation, then the only thing that remains predictable is that there will be unpredictable consequences on that state. One generation of citizens will be wasted in one way or the other; the future will also be bleak. Everyone, including those who are thousands of kilometers away will come to suffer, either in the form of terrorist threat, economic shock, irregular migration, or wounded human conscience.

If prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts are of paramount importance, then we must take it seriously. This appreciation is driving Turkey’s efforts in the field of mediation as the co-chair of the UN, OSCE and OIC friends of mediation groups and the host to a capacity building mediation training program and the two mediation conferences that we will organize in Istanbul this week.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an unofficial English translation of the original French text.

***

Nowadays, the hardest challenges European countries confront are fighting against terrorist organizations such as DAESH and the management of migration flows. Turkey continues to hold an essential role within the context of international efforts in overcoming these challenges.

It is Turkey, who has enabled the European Union (EU) to regulate the Syrian migration flow. Turkey has not only hosted three and a half million Syrian refugees, but also saved the lives of thousands of people by halting their risky attempts to get across the Aegean Sea in order to reach Western Europe.

Turkey is one of the first countries to recognize DAESH as a terrorist organization. Moreover, our country is a member of the International Coalition, established to counter DAESH.

Whereas some Western countries have not been able to control even the transiting of jihadists through their airports, Turkey has denied the entry of more than four thousand suspected travelers on her territory; deported almost six thousand terrorists; arrested more than ten thousand DAESH and Al-Qaida members; and exerted great efforts to ensure the security of her 911 kilometers long land border with Syria.

While other coalition members have not gone beyond a very symbolic presence on the field, only Turkey has fought with her land forces against DAESH alongside with the Free Syrian Army since 2016. 

Operation “Euphrates Shield” is an exceptional -even unique- operation to serve as a model in this respect, which was directed by the Turkish Army and ensured the liberation of Jarabulus, Al-Bab and surrounding cities, as well as the peaceful return of hundreds of thousands of Syrians back home.

In that case, could we say that Turkey, against which the Europeans lean their back in terms of their security, is understood correctly? Could we say that our country’s actions are conveyed correctly and that they are appreciated? Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Anti-Turkey discourse prevalent in the West today, is a partial reflection of the increase in xenophobia and Islamophobia, which are fed by Western extremists’ instrumentalization of migrant flows. Furthermore, some unscrupulous politicians, with the goal of satisfying their voters, have tried to conceal their anti-Muslim and xenophobic messages, disguised as their “political truthfulness” in their opposition against Turkey’s EU accession.

This discourse also stems from those underestimating threats faced by Turkey in recent years, and blaming its leaders of becoming authoritarian, and violating individual rights in an unfounded way. However, which European country could have further respected these rights in the face of violent acts by terrorist organizations such as DAESH and PKK/PYD/YPG that have taken control of the frontier areas; the bloody coup attempt by Fethullah Gülen and his terrorist organization on 15 July 2016; the threats and challenges Turkey has faced, such as the economic and social burden of Syrian refugees at Turkish taxpayers’ expense? Actually, no country except for Turkey could have better dealt with such various challenges simultaneously.

Turkey, which is a founding member of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, is a party to the European Convention on Human Rights. This Convention guarantees that individual rights of all citizens are respected by also the Turkish Justice as in other European countries. Accordingly, no one could allege that these rights are less respected in Turkey than in any other country in Europe.

Thanks to its determination, Turkey today manages to prevent terrorist organizations such as DAESH or PKK/PYD/YPG from taking any action on her territory. Advances recorded in the fight against FETO will soon allow the Turkish Government to lift the state of emergency. One can recall that it took seven hundred and nineteen days to end the state of emergency in France.

Today, Turkey enjoys a sound political stability and has the highest economic growth rate among European countries. Turkey, welcoming nearly forty million tourists each year, also continues to be one of the world’s safest tourist destinations.

Turkey’s priority, as a country exerting every effort in finding a political solution in Syria, is to eliminate any terrorist presence on her border with this country, which also constitutes the border of Europe and NATO with the Middle East.

Operation “Olive Branch” conducted in Afrin against the PKK/PYD/YPG and their associate DAESH, will therefore continue until this goal is fully achieved. At all costs, Turkey will not allow this terrorist organization to occupy Syrian territory on her borderline and will do her best to demonstrate the gravity of their mistake to her allies who falsely think that using PKK/PYD/YPG terrorists as mercenaries in their so-called fight against DAESH is a good idea.

Our allies will realize that Turkey is, and will remain, their best ally for the security of Europe and the region.