Türkiye's president on Monday announced the discovery of an additional 58 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the Black Sea.
"Our drill ship Fatih has explored 58 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves, 3,023 meters under the sea, at the Caycuma 1 block," said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
Stressing that Türkiye's natural gas reserve in the Black Sea totals 710 billion cubic meters (25 trillion cubic feet) with a market value of $1 trillion, Erdoğan said the country's ultimate goal is to declare energy independence from foreign oil and natural gas as soon as possible.
"Our new exploration will pave the way for similar explorations in other geological fields adjacent to the region. We will launch new drilling as soon as possible," Erdoğan added.
On the country's counterterrorism efforts, Erdoğan announced that Türkiye "will close the gaps in our 30-kilometer (18.6-mile) deep security line and take new steps to completely eliminate the threats posed by (terrorist groups in) Syria to our country."
"We will enter a new phase of struggle that will destroy the entire infrastructure and resources of the terrorist group (PKK and YPG/PKK), which it receives strength from, as well as its armed capacity," he said.
The PKK and its Syrian branch the YPG/PKK have used terrorist bases across Türkiye's border in northern Iraq and northern Syria to plot and carry out attacks on Türkiye. Along the Syrian border, the group has worked to create a terrorist corridor along the border, threatening both Syrian locals and nearby Turkish residents.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK-listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU-has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019). Turkish officials have suggested another such operation is coming.
