Erdoğan: No country targeted in Efes-2024 drill, it is peacekeeping exercise

"No country is targeted in the Efes-2024 drill, it is a peacekeeping exercise. We are ready to have dialogue and strengthen our ties with every actor that respects Türkiye's interests and wants to develop cooperation," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed in his speech on Thursday.

"No country is targeted within the scope of the Efes-2024 drill, it is an exercise based on peacekeeping," Erdoğan said in an address to the military during the exercise in western Izmir province.

Erdoğan laid out the following keynotes in his televised address:

"We are testing 33 different systems, including new domestic systems, in the Efes-2024 exercise.

Last year, we reached $5.5B in defense exports with 230 types of products sent to 185 countries; we signed new contracts worth $10.24 billion.

Ankara closely monitors the PKK terrorist organization's aggressive actions against the territorial integrity of Türkiye, Syria under the pretext of a referendum.

Türkiye will never allow (PKK) separatist organization to establish terrorist state in north of Syria, Iraq, just beyond its southern borders

We have taken many important steps in diplomacy to increase the number of our friends, we will continue on this path with new initiatives."