Erdoğan: We are closer than ever to permanently freeing Türkiye from terrorism

Speaking during a fast-breaking event at the Beştepe presidential complex in the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed in his speech: "Türkiye is 'closer than ever' to permanently, definitively freeing the nation from terrorism, that has exploited people's blood, resources for 40 years."

As the global power competition takes place in our region, Türkiye is directly affected by every development, said Erdoğan on Thursday, adding: "We don't have the luxury to watch it from the tribunes."

The Turkish president said: "We must be prepared for all scenarios and manage and steer the events in our region in a way that benefits our country."

Touching upon Syrians returning to their country, Erdoğan said that Türkiye did "what was right, moral, and conscientious" in the neighboring country.

Since Bashar al Assad's fall in Syria, 133,000 of "our Syrian guests have voluntarily and honorably returned" to their homeland, said Erdogan, stating that so far, 873,000 Syrians have safely returned to Syria.