(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ISTANBUL, Jan 27 (KUNA) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Saturday that his country would show no mercy to those who try to undermine its sovereignty and future.
"We are not against any state, we only want to secure our future and liberty," Erdogan said addressed the opening ceremony of the Kasimpasa-Haskoy Tunnel in Istanbul.
However, vowing to continue working with friends, he said: "We will embrace those who extend their friendly hand. We will break bread with those who ask for help." The Turkish leader said the so-called Islamic State (IS) was being used as a pretext for storing weapons in Syria even though, he claimed, the group has completely lost its power.
Erdogan reaffirmed that the name of the terrorist group doesn't matter, whether it is called FETO, Daesh (IS), the PKK, PYD, or YPG, as Turkey would eradicate all of them.
Meanwhile, Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that the main goal of Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in northwestern Syria is to eliminate terrorist groups there and ensure the safe return of hundreds of thousands of civilians from Afrin who took shelter in Turkey.
Speaking at the same event, Yildirim said Turkey would never allow a terrorist group to be created on its southern border.
On January 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to allegedly remove PYD/PKK and IS from Afrin. (end) ta.mt
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