Turkey will continue to fight local and foreign terrorist groups with determination and will take all necessary precautions to ensure the security of its border, a statement released following a top security council meeting said Tuesday.
Led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, the 6 hour-long National Security Council (MGK) meeting addressed a number of issues, including the operations against the PKK terrorist group and its Syrian offshoot People's Protection Units (YPG), its relations with NATO and the current situation in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Counter-terror operations, Claw and Claw 2, in northern Iraq will continue until the terrorists are wiped off, the statement released following the meeting said, adding that Turkey will closely watch developments regarding the attack on Turkish diplomat Osman Köse in Irbil.
The meeting reiterated Turkey's disapproval of the support given by some Western countries to the YPG, which is known to use child soldiers in its terrorist activities.
On a different note, the MGK concluded that Interpol's delisting of some senior YPG figures and Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) members from the list of wanted terrorists sought with a red notice causes grave damage to the founding principles of the Interpol.
The statement also reiterated Turkey's determination to continue to strive to establish a "peace corridor" by cleaning terrorists from the Syrian border area amid increasing threats against the country.
Regarding relations with NATO, the statement noted that Turkey fulfills its part and expects allies to do the same regarding strategic partnership, defense and security cooperation.
"Turkey abides by its commitments, obligations under international law, expects the same sensitivity from its allies," the statement read.
The security council also reiterated Turkey's stance regarding Cyprus, saying that the country maintains principled stance toward protection of its and Turkish Cypriots' rights, interests in Eastern Meditarrenean under international law.
