Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that his country will take the necessary measures in the appropriate place and time to stop terrorist attacks in northern Syria.
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This came in a speech on Thursday during the opening ceremony of the 2021-2022 academic year of the National Defense University in Istanbul.
Akar explained that his country will take the necessary measures to protect its rights and interests and preserve them in the appropriate place and time under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He pointed out that there are serious changes and transformations in the region and the world, especially in security and defense issues, stressing that they are closely monitoring this to take all appropriate measures.
He stressed that they are closely following all developments in northern Iraq, Syria, the Aegean Sea, the eastern Mediterranean, and Cyprus and that it is their duty to safeguard the rights and interests of the Turkish people.
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He added that Turkey respects the rights and sovereignty of neighboring countries, and in the event that no step is taken towards (constraining) the terrorists there, Turkey will do the necessary.
He stressed that his country has not and will never allow the establishment of a terrorist corridor and that all those who seek to do so from the “PKK/YPG” will be eliminated.
He stated that 18,609 terrorists have been neutralized in the intensive operations that began on July 24, 2015, pointing out that 2,201 terrorists have been neutralized since the beginning of 2021.
On the agreements concluded with the United States and Russia on northern Syria, Akar said: “We, as Turkey, are doing our duty to the fullest and fulfilling our obligations.”
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“In the same way, we are doing what we are required to do according to international law in the Aegean Sea, the eastern Mediterranean, and Cyprus.
We are for peace, dialogue and negotiations, and at the same time we will not allow anyone to impose a fait accompli on us.”
