Top officials meet in Ankara for strategic meeting on counterterrorism efforts

Defense minister, foreign minister and head of intelligence gather for crucial talks on counterterrorism upon President Erdogan’s special emphasis on fighting terrorism

Minister of National Defense, Foreign Affairs and the Head of National Intelligence Organization (MIT) held a closed-door meeting in Ankara on March 11.

Defense Minister Yasar Guler, alongside Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and MIT Chief Ibrahim Kalin, met at the National Defense Ministry, and no additional details about the discussions were disclosed.

The meeting followed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s reaffirmation of Türkiye’s unwavering stance against terrorism.

“We are committed to establishing a secure corridor extending 30-40 kilometers (18.6-24.8 miles) along our border with Syria. We are resolved to address gaps within this corridor, which was partially established through our earlier operations,” Erdogan emphasized.

“We have communicated directly to them we urge all parties in the region to respect our security strategy. Otherwise, they will be responsible for any potential tensions. We have plans in place that will present new challenges to those who believe they can undermine Türkiye by creating a ‘terroristan’ along our southern borders,” Erdogan cautioned.

Over the course of its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK, recognized as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the European Union, has claimed the lives of over 40,000 individuals, including women, children, and infants. The YPG serves as the PKK’s Syrian affiliate.

PKK militants frequently take refuge in northern Iraq to orchestrate cross-border attacks into Türkiye.

Türkiye initiated Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022 to target PKK terror group hideouts in Iraq’s northern Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan regions near the Turkish border.

Since 2016, Ankara has executed a series of successful anti-terror campaigns along its border in northern Syria to thwart the establishment of a terrorist corridor and facilitate the peaceful resettlement of local residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).

Source: Newsroom

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