'No step back' in fighting PKK, says Turkish premier

By Yunus Okur

ERZURUM, Turkey

Turkey’s premier said Friday there will be no stepping back in the fight against the terrorist PKK group.

Speaking to reporters after meeting local officials in Turkey’s eastern Erzurum province, Binali Yildirim vowed to ensure safety in every inch of soil in the country.

"There is not even the slightest step back, [or] lethargy. Our citizens will come and go freely in every inch of soil of this country.

“They will be able to live there and carry out [their] work. Operations will continue until all these conditions are met," the prime minister said.

In his remarks, Yildirim said he would visit the eastern Agri province, where seven village guards, one specialist sergeant and one soldier were martyred in a PKK assault late on Thursday.

"We will visit our troops there and offer our condolences to relatives of village guards, martyrs," he added.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU and resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, PKK terrorist attacks martyred more than 600 security personnel and also claimed the lives of many civilians, including women and children, while more than 7,000 PKK terrorists were killed in army operations.