UPDATE - Türkiye to never allow 'terror corridor' on border: Defense chief

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS, MINOR EDITS

By Faruk Zorlu

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye will never allow the formation of a "terror corridor" on its border, the country's national defense minister said on Friday, referring to terrorist groups such as Daesh/ISIS and the PKK/YPG.

"We will never in any way allow the formation of a terror corridor or the activity of terrorists" on Türkiye's southern border, Hulusi Akar told reporters in the northwestern province of Canakkale.

A total of 491 terrorists have been "neutralized" so far in Türkiye's ongoing cross-border campaign against the PKK/YPG terrorist group, he said, adding that only the terrorist organizations were targeted in the operation.

"We have also done everything that needs to be done so far not to harm the coalition forces and civilians. We will continue to do so," he said.

Calling on all our interlocutors to cut off their ties and not to support terrorists, he stressed Türkiye respects Iraq and Syria's territorial integrity and sovereign rights.

Because the fight against Daesh/ISIS cannot be "done like this. The only army fighting hand-to-hand against Daesh/ISIS is Türkiye's army. And it is the Turkish army that neutralized more than 4,000 terrorists," he said.

Recently, Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Sword in northern Iraq and Syria, a cross-border aerial campaign against the PKK/YPG, which has hideouts across the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they plan and sometimes execute attacks on Turkish soil.

- Greece's armament efforts

Akar also urged Greece to abandon its actions and rhetoric that escalate tensions in the region, saying: "Let's solve the problems between the two nations through dialogue."

Criticizing Greek armament efforts, he said Türkiye is not a threat and amassing arms is harming the welfare of the Turkish and Greek people.

"Unfortunately, some politicians in Greece are stirring up trouble for their domestic political interests," he added.

Türkiye, a NATO member for over 70 years, has complained of repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region in recent months, including arming islands near Turkish shores that are demilitarized under treaty obligations.