PKK laying down arms is the only solution Turkey can accept, President Erdoğan says

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted on Tuesday that the terrorist organization PKK has to lay down its weapons before anything else can be discussed or negotiated with them. The announcement came after another surge in the group's terrorist attacks, which killed 16 soldiers on Monday and 14 police officers on Tuesday.

"At this point the only solution is for the PKK to lay down its arms; nothing else can be discussed," the Turkish president said, and vowed that Turkey will not be abandoned to terrorists.

Erdoğan said state mechanisms may move slowly, but no power can halt them once they take off, and noted that the PKK and its structure has been seriously damaged, and work will continue until the terrorist organization is completely destroyed.

"No power, gang, organization or perception management operations can block the power of the state," the president said and added that the recent surge in attacks were mostly due to the fact that the terrorists are in a state of panic because of the blow they received from Turkish forces within and outside of Turkey.

Erdoğan harshly criticized anyone who refrains from sincerely condemn the terrorist attacks, and he underscored that unity and solidarity are essential to preserve the country at such a critical period. He reiterated once again that it was the PKK that ended the reconciliation process and sabotaged peace.

"As much as Turkey needs a ruling party, it also needs opposition parties" the Turkish president said, noting that the actions of politicians and media outlets explicitly and implicitly supporting the terrorist organization through their statements cannot be tolerated.

He accused those who blame the recent surge of terrorist attacks on the government for treason, and said, "The place to look for the culprit is the Qandil Mountains, where many PKK terrorists are located, not Ankara."

On Tuesday, a total of 14 police officers were killed in Turkey's Iğdır and Şırnak provinces in two separate PKK attacks.

In a separate incident, PKK terrorists targeted Turkish soldiers in a landmine attack late Sunday in the town of Dağlıca of Turkey's eastern Hakkari province, killing 16 soldiers and wounding six others.

Turkish military has conducted airstrikes and a ground military operation against PKK terrorists who fled to Northern Iraq following the Dağlıca terrorist attack.