ISTANBUL 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said that plans to “trap our region in instability” will fail and that “imperialist and Zionist bloodshed perpetrators” will not be able to achieve their goals.

“Strongest response to this 23-month-long genocide witnessed by all humanity will come again from Türkiye and its nation,” Erdogan said at the drawing ceremony for the placement of relatives of martyrs, veterans, and veterans' relatives into public institutions in Ankara.

“We ruled for centuries on lands where those who challenge us came just two or three generations ago,” the Turkish president said, stressing: “We were the sword of justice, bringing order to the world.”

“We are neither guests nor occupiers in this region, we have been its hosts for a thousand years and will remain here until the end of time,” Erdogan added.