Turkey to continue to fight ISIS and PKK terrorists at full speed, says President Erdoğan

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday that Turkey will continue its anti-terror operations against terrorist organizations such as the PKK and ISIS 'at full speed.'

While speaking to local chiefs at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, the Turkish president underlined that Turkey is determined to utilize all means to ensure national security in the country, and he harshly criticized the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) for failing to distance itself from the terrorist organization PKK.

"All terrorists will either leave the country or lay down/bury their arms," Erdoğan said and further added, "The same applies to the political party which cannot distance itself from the terrorist organization and fails to lawfully carry out its activities under the scope of the opportunities presented to them by democratic politics," blaming the HDP for being a tool of the PKK.

He noted that the PKK was the side which sabotaged the reconciliation process by carrying out terrorist attacks, and that they should not expect the state to make concessions from now on.

"We started the reconciliation process, the PKK chose the path of conflict, now we the government have no further step to take," he stated.

The Turkish president underscored that Turkey has extensive knowledge and experience about the region and had warned U.S. President Barack Obama before his country dropped arms to the Kurdish PYD to fight ISIS.

"We told Obama that guns sent to Kobani won't just go to the PYD, but it will also get into the hands of ISIS, and that's what happened," Erdoğan said, adding that his 'American friends' did not take this warning into consideration.

He also highlighted that Turkey was the country which opened its doors to 200,000 refugees fleeing Kobani and had allowed Peshmerga forces to pass through its soil from Northern Iraq, highlighting that Turkey utilizes all opportunities to ensure safety of civilians, clearing the region from ISIS while protecting its national security.

Erdoğan also slammed those who try to justify the PKK's terrorist activities on the one hand and claim to promote democracy and freedoms on the other hand.

"If you talk about democracy, everything about democracy can be found in the Parliament. Come and wage your struggle in Parliament," Erdoğan dared those who reserve to violent terrorist actions to reach their goals and embrace democracy instead.

Touching upon the recent flight of Gülenist prosecutors to Armenia, Erdoğan reminded that they had previously accused himself of fleeing abroad during the Gezi protests and the December 17 coup attempt operation while he was paying official visits to other countries. He stated that Turkey is tracking over 100 Gülenists who fled the country, including prosecutor Zekeriya Öz and Celal Kara and will employ all legal procedures to ensure that they are held accountable.

In response to claims about opposing the formation of a coalition government between the AK Party and the Republican People's Party (CHP), President Erdoğan said that they were nothing but lies and slander.

"We hope that a coalition government will be established, this will solve Turkey's problems," he said, adding that Turkey cannot be left without a government and he will fulfill all of his duties regarding this process, which are outlined in the constitution.