ANKARA
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has pledged to take all measures against threats targeting the country’s borders, including those from groups like Daesh.
"All precautions will surely be taken without further order if any terrorist organization or others approach the borders of the Turkish Republic in a threatening way," he told reporters after a visit to Turkey's Council of State on Friday in the capital, Ankara.
His remarks followed early-morning airstrikes by Turkish F-16 fighter jets on Daesh targets in Syria.
The operation comes a day after a firefight with Daesh militants across the Syrian border, in which one Turkish soldier was killed and two others were wounded.
Davutoglu stressed that Daesh positions were destroyed in Friday's operation, saying Thursday’s cross-border shootout gave Turkey the right to exercise self-defense.
He noted that the operation was the result of a decision Turkey took for its own national security.
"The operation against Daesh achieved its goal and will never stop as we observe movement on and near the Syrian border any moment," he said.
Davutoglu added that 297 suspects including 37 foreigners have been detained in 16 provinces during nationwide anti-terror raids.
Police raids in Sanliurfa, a southeastern province of Turkey, saw 35 people linked with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party held. The province has witnessed a major escalation in tensions following a mass-casualty suicide bombing on Monday plus the fatal shooting of two police officers two days later.
