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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday underscored Türkiye’s determination to eliminate terrorism from the region in separate phone calls with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, according to the Turkish Communications Directorate.
In his call with al-Sudani, Erdogan said Türkiye’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative was being carried out with “great care” and stressed that Ankara would remain vigilant against efforts to undermine the campaign..
“The process is being pursued decisively,” Erdogan said, adding that Türkiye would continue to take firm steps toward ensuring national and regional security.
The leaders also discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, including cooperation opportunities centered on the Development Road project, which aims to enhance trade and infrastructure links between the two countries.
In a separate conversation with Azerbaijani President Aliyev, Erdogan said the ongoing disarmament process targeting the PKK terrorist group would not only strengthen Türkiye’s internal security but also contribute to broader regional stability.
Aliyev praised Türkiye’s progress, saying the success achieved so far was “significant” and voiced hope that the process would reach a successful conclusion..
The two leaders also discussed Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations and regional peace efforts. Erdogan reiterated Türkiye’s continued support for lasting peace in the South Caucasus and emphasized Ankara’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties in all sectors.
The calls came a day after a group of 30 PKK terrorists, including 15 women, laid down their arms and destroyed them in northern Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah province. The group emerged from a cave in the Surdas sub-district and proceeded to a designated site where they destroyed their weapons in a disarmament ceremony.
The disarmament followed a May announcement by the PKK of its intention to dissolve, and a February statement by imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan calling for an end to the group’s four-decade-long armed campaign.
The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people—including civilians, women, and children—since it launched its insurgency in 1984.
The group has long used mountainous areas in northern Iraq as a base for attacks on Turkish territory.
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