Turkey's president vows to defeat terrorism in Eid message

In a televised address to the nation on the evening of Eid ul-Adha on Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to continue to eliminate those who pose a threat to Turkey.

Erdogan said the PKK, considered by Turkey as a terrorist group, had been trying to step up their attacks since a failed coup attempt in July with a clear aim of disrupting Turkey's military operations in Syria.

"We see that the PKK terrorist organisation has been trying to intensify its activities in our border areas after July 15. These attacks, which have the clear objective of disrupting Turkey's Syria operation, are still ongoing," Erdogan said.

He also said that Turkey had a duty to "finish off" DAESH in Syria and prevent it from carrying out attacks in Turkey, and that the Turkish military incursion launched two and a half weeks ago was a first step in that ambition.

Turkey was stronger, more resolute and more dynamic than before coup attempt, Erdogan said.

"Those with malicious intentions must know that they will find a Turkey with an army of 570,000 and police forces of 260,000 and a nation of 79 million," he said.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, in his Eid message, pledged that traitors would not be able to damage Turkey's unity.

"All dirty plots against Turkish unity are in vain," Yıldırım said.

"No terror groups will be able to bring Turkey to its knees," he added.