ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented a book on Turkey’s counter-terrorism efforts to the leaders he met at the NATO summit on Monday.
Erdogan held one-on-one meetings with heads of states and governments on the sidelines of the summit in Brussels.
He presented the book, Turkey’s Fight Against Terrorism, which tells about the country’s efforts against the YPG/PKK, Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), and Daesh/ISIS, to US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The book, prepared in English by Turkey’s Communications Directorate, comprises three chapters, one for each terrorist organization.
It stresses that Ankara expects its allies to respect its sovereignty right as well as its sensitivity for security. It also urges them to concretely stand with Turkey in its fight against terrorism.
The book, through documents of international reports, also highlights some Western countries' support for YPG/PKK under the pretext of fighting Daesh/ISIS terrorists.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terror organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. YPG is its Syrian offshoot.
FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people dead and 2,734 injured.
Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
In 2013, Turkey became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terrorist group.
The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed assaults.
In response, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.
* Writing by Sena Guler
