Bahçeli warns of provocations amid anti-terror drive

ANKARA

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has cautioned against provocations during the government’s campaign to eliminate terrorism.

"While moving steadily toward the goal of a terror-free Türkiye, no tolerance should be shown to anyone acting as a proxy for domestic and foreign forces seeking to undermine national peace and security," Bahçeli said in a written statement issued on Sept. 11.

As part of the ongoing campaign, PKK declared a ceasefire before announcing its decision to disband and disarm.

"The coming days are open and prone to all kinds of provocation," Bahçeli said. "Those who call for civil disobedience, make statements against Türkiye in foreign media and seek their lost political prestige and morality in the darkness of the streets are seeking this climate of provocation."

His remarks also addressed the debate over criminal responsibility for minors, a topic that has gained traction following a rise in murders involving children.

"Child means innocence. A child cannot be a murderer but portraying a murderer or terrorist as a child is also a serious mistake," he said.

Bahçeli said family, social and environmental issues contribute to youth crime and urged lawmakers to consider reforms revising penalty reductions for offenders aged 15 to 18.