Erdoğan vows to protect 'sun of peace' in anti-terror bid
ISTANBUL
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has vowed to protect what he called the "sun of peace" amid his government's ongoing "terror-free Türkiye" initiative.
“We are moving forward determinedly, hopefully and carefully toward our goals of a terror-free Türkiye and a terror-free region,” Erdoğan said on July 18 during a graduation ceremony at the National Defense University in Istanbul.
In line with the government's bid, PKK declared a ceasefire following a call from its jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, and announced its decision to disband and lay down arms. Last week, a group of PKK members ceremonially burned their weapons in northern Iraq.
"No one will be able to prevent the sun of peace from rising over our region. Those who feed on darkness will eventually lose. We will turn a brand new page," Erdoğan said.
"We will tear up the dirty plots targeting our region. No one will be able to prevent peace from prevailing in every corner of our region."
Erdoğan framed his administration's fundamental duty as "building a great and powerful Türkiye by carrying the lands we inherited from our martyrs and veterans even stronger" into the future.
"Let the recklessness of those who seek to drown our region in bloodshed and tears not lead anyone to despair. We have faced countless betrayals from within and without. We have overcome them all," he said.
"We have not surrendered to tyrants. We have never compromised our cause for independence and the future."
Highlighting military and national unity efforts, Erdoğan said Türkiye has shaped the modern warfare doctrine by “fortifying the home front.”
"Most of those who defined our lives are gone, forgotten. We were here yesterday, and we will be here tomorrow. God willing, we will exist until the Day of Judgment. We will continue to be a nightmare for the oppressor forever,” he said.
"Most of those who defined our lives have become history, many have been forgotten, but as the Turkish nation, thank God, we stand tall and continue to make history."
The Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) has taken on a mediating role between Öcalan and Ankara, relaying updates to political actors on the progress. The initiative gained momentum after party delegations were granted access to visit Öcalan on the İmralı prison island off Istanbul.
It was made possible after Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli publicly urged Öcalan to renounce terrorism in parliament — an appeal later endorsed by Erdoğan.
