UPDATE - Erdogan iterates vow to fight attacks against Turkey

ADDS QUOTES FROM POLITICAL PARTY HEADS

By Jeyhun Aliyev and Buket Guven

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Saturday reiterated determination to fight against those targeting Turkey’s development.

“We will continue to let those down who use many methods from terrorist attacks to economic traps to stop Turkey in the period ahead of us,” Erdogan said in a video message to mark the Eid al-Adha, a Muslim religious festival.

The president said Turkey performed positive progress in very matter compared the agenda of the Eid al-Adha last year.

Turkey gains its power from unity, solidarity, and brotherhood, he stated.

The country has experienced many victories in August throughout its history, he said, referring to the Victory Day, the 1922 defeat of Greek forces, which falls on Aug. 30 and Turkey’s counter-terrorism operation Euphrates Shield which was launched in August 2016 in Syria.

“I hope we will add a new circle to our chain of victories in this August,” Erdogan said.

He wished Eid al-Adha to bring goodness to Turkish nation, the entire Muslim world and humanity.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the main opposition leader of Republican People’s Party (CHP), in a written statement said that Eid holiday is special as the "feelings of brotherhood are reinforced" and the "desire to live in peace" is refreshed.

"Thanks to Eid, we recall the importance of a moral understanding that does not discriminate people, fights without compromise to overcome poverty, rules with justice, and which is also reliable and tolerant for everyone," Kilicdaroglu said.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli also shared an Eid message wishing Eid al-Adha to strengthen the unity and solidarity of Turkish people.

"We are experiencing a deep and immense sense of reaching an exceptional period in which the enthusiasm of eid is experienced spiritually, at heart and morally," Bahceli said.