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<\/p>\nPresident Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan on Friday said there would be \u201cno turning back\u201d from the terror-free T\u00fcrkiye initiative, describing the process as the country\u2019s most strategic effort to strengthen national unity and eliminate terrorism permanently.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the SAHA 2026 International Defense, Aviation and Space Industry Fair in Istanbul, Erdo\u011fan linked T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s expanding defense capabilities with its broader security goals, including the ongoing initiative aimed at dismantling the PKK terrorist group\u2019s armed structure.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, the most strategic step we are taking to fortify our internal stronghold is the \u2018terror-free T\u00fcrkiye\u2019 process and the goal of a terror-free region,\u201d Erdo\u011fan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe terror-free T\u00fcrkiye process is the name of a grand vision that aims to build a peaceful, secure, prosperous future where peace prevails,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The initiative has entered a critical phase in recent months, with Turkish authorities focusing on the practical implementation of disarmament mechanisms following the PKK\u2019s announcement in 2025 that it would dissolve its organizational structure.<\/p>\n
Ankara insists that the process must begin with the unconditional surrender of weapons before any broader legal or political discussions can proceed. Turkish officials say the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) will oversee verification and monitoring efforts to ensure militants fully disarm and withdraw from armed activity.<\/p>\n
The process emerged after decades of PKK terrorism that claimed tens of thousands of lives in T\u00fcrkiye. Officials have repeatedly emphasized that the current framework differs from the failed 2013-2015 reconciliation process by prioritizing concrete developments on the ground rather than political declarations.<\/p>\n
Recent statements by senior PKK figures suggested internal tensions over control of the process, particularly between imprisoned PKK ringleader Abdullah \u00d6calan and commanders based in northern Iraq\u2019s Mount Qandil region. Turkish officials view control over the group\u2019s weapons and disarmament timeline as the key unresolved issue.<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan framed the initiative as part of a broader national struggle rooted in T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s history of resistance and unity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went hungry, we went thirsty, we were left without weapons, without ammunition, but we never lost our faith, we never succumbed to despair,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the heart of this will lies the sacred memory and blessed legacy of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for their homeland and nation,\u201d Erdo\u011fan added, referring to security forces and civilians killed in terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n
The president also stressed that T\u00fcrkiye now possesses the military and technological strength to defend itself independently, highlighting advances in domestically produced fighter aircraft, drones, missiles, naval systems and electronic warfare technologies.<\/p>\n
\u201cT\u00fcrkiye is a state that possesses more than enough power and strength to break the will of any hostile element that dares to threaten its independence and future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The initiative has also exposed growing divergence between the PKK\u2019s armed leadership and the pro-PKK Peoples\u2019 Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), whose officials have publicly supported disarmament and warned the organization against delaying the process.<\/p>\n
Turkish officials say the next stage will center on verification mechanisms, legal arrangements concerning militants not involved in crimes and ensuring the complete dismantling of the PKK\u2019s armed infrastructure.<\/p>\n
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