ANKARA

Türkiye takes all necessary steps beyond its borders for its security, neutralizing threats at their source without seeking permission from anyone, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

Speaking at an iftar program with families of martyrs at Cankaya Mansion in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said that significant progress has been made in efforts toward a “terror-free Türkiye.”

“There has been a serious decrease in security risks directed at our country, both within and beyond our borders,” he said.

Referring to terrorism, Erdogan said: “We are determined to rid Türkiye forever of this scourge that has burned the hearts of our nation for nearly half a century.”

He noted that thanks to operations by the armed forces and other security units, “we have significantly restricted the mobility of terrorist organizations.”

“Today, we can meet almost all our needs ourselves in nearly every field, including UAVs, armed UAVs, missiles, rockets, ships, helicopters and tanks,” he said.

He further added that an agreement was reached last month to resolve the issue in northern Syria without bloodshed, adding that “the process leading to full integration has begun.”