Erdogan Says Turkey Nears Final Stage of Terror-Free Initiative

By Staff, Agencies

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey is approaching the final stage of its state-led “Terror-Free Turkiye” initiative, describing it as a long-term effort to eliminate armed militant groups and prevent violence from returning to communities across the country.

Speaking at a ceremony in Istanbul on Saturday, Erdogan said the process had made significant progress despite what he described as provocations and attempts to derail it over the past two years.

“Despite all provocations and traps over the past two years, we have made significant progress,” Erdogan said, stressing that the initiative seeks the complete eradication of what Ankara considers terrorist threats.

Erdogan presented the campaign as a broader state project aimed at preventing armed groups from rebuilding their presence and ensuring that violence does not return to affected communities.

His remarks followed a new phase in Turkey’s efforts to end the conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. On Thursday, Turkey announced the inclusion of the group’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, in a committee overseeing disarmament, giving him a direct role in a process intended to dismantle the organization and end its armed activities.

Erdogan also focused on the financial and logistical networks that he said have sustained militant groups for decades. “We will cut off, one by one, the lifelines of those who have fed off the terrorism industry for nearly 50 years and are enemies of our nation and country,” he said.

His remarks indicate that Ankara’s approach extends beyond direct action against armed groups to targeting the networks that provide them with financial and logistical support.

Erdogan said the Turkish state would take all necessary measures to prevent militant organizations from reestablishing footholds or causing further suffering among families, as Ankara seeks to bring the initiative to its final stage.