Erdogan says Turkey will continue its fearless struggle against terrorism

Undaunted, Turkey will continue its fearless struggle against terrorism, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

Speaking in Istanbul after Friday prayers, Erdogan reiterated the country’s resolute stance against terrorism in the wake of a bomb attack on Thursday night in Kulp district in Diyarbakir.

At least seven people were killed and nine were wounded when the PKK terror group used an improvised explosive device to target a vehicle carrying forest workers in southeastern Turkey, the local governorate said.     

The mayor of Kulp district, Mehmet Fatih Tas, was detained for questioning on Friday.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, who went to the city after the attack, announced the death toll rose to seven after it was initially reported that four people were killed.

In a statement, the Diyarbakir Governorate said the terrorist attack occurred in the Kulp district at around 0500 GMT.    

All the wounded were taken to the hospitals for treatment. 

Erdogan said all means will be used to nab the perpetrators.

In its 30-year terror campaign against the Turkish state more than 40,000 people, including women and children, have been killed.

Turkey, the US and the EU recognise the PKK as a terrorist organisation.

Sit-in by mothers of disappeared

Voicing support for the many mothers in Diyarbakir holding a sit-in to protest against the PKK abducting or trying to recruit their children, Erdogan said the current number of protesters may swell to the thousands.

Some 28 families are protesting in Diyarbakir, asking the HDP to stop the forced recruitment of their sons by the PKK.

The Turkish government charges the opposition HDP with having links and providing support to the terror group.

Developments in Idlib

Turning to regional affairs, Erdogan said, “We will continue to discuss developments in Idlib, including observation posts and the fight against terror organisations."

In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone where acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

Under the deal, opposition groups in Idlib would remain in areas where they were already present, while Russia and Turkey would carry out joint patrols in the area to prevent a resumption of fighting.

The Syrian regime and its allies, however, have consistently broken the terms of the cease-fire, launching frequent attacks inside the de-escalation zone.