Türkiye has extended the depth of its military operation from Syria to Iraq, dealing major blows to the terrorism, the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday.
"We are dealing heaviest blows to terrorist groups in regions where they feel safest," he added.
"With the efforts of our Coast Guard, we have prevented deaths in the Aegean. In the last two years, we have saved the lives of 41,000 people who were left to die by Greece," Erdoğan said at a Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy's graduation ceremony in the capital Ankara.
Erdoğan said the number of irregular migrants apprehended by the Turkish Coast Guard has reached 245,000, adding the gendarmerie continues its fight against irregular migration and human traffickers.
He also talked about the recent developments in Türkiye's defense and the migration issue, saying that "If anyone still criticizes our defense industry's breakthroughs despite military build-up in Greece, it means they are deprived of strategic vision."
"Türkiye does not nurture enmity toward anyone or any country," Erdoğan added.
"It wants to establish sincere relationships with every country and society."
Türkiye has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.
Ankara and global rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece's illegal practice, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.
