President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the 948th anniversary of the Victory of Manzikert (Malazgirt). 

"To us, Anatolia is the land of our great cause," President Erdoğan said.

"And our cause has always been one of the building. Our homeland, forged with blood and toil for a thousand years, will witness our revival and rise, the rejuvenation of our civilization and the building of a great and powerful Turkey.

This gathering, which we repeat every year in Malazgirt will continue to help engrave this grand vision onto our minds and hearts with great conviction," he added.

Praising security forces' fight against terror, President Erdoğan pointed to operations Claw I-II-III and said: "We are chasing the terrorists till their caves both inside and outside our borders."

Noting the gradual progress in establishing a safe zone in Syria along the line from the east of the Euphrates River to the Iraqi border, President Erdoğan said: "The complexity of the plans in the region and the abundance of the insidious traps have never deterred us from our path and will never do so."

Stating that there has been persecution in Jerusalem and Palestine, Erdoğan continued as follows:

"The rogue state is trying to usurp Jerusalem, home to the Holy of 3 religions, and to occupy Palestine step by step. Today Muslims are under persecution in many places, threats and attacks against Muslims everywhere from Arakan to Kashmir, Turkistan to Europe continue.

Just yesterday, we have not forgotten the massacres in different geographies from the Balkans to Karabakh.

We have not forgotten how millions of people are forced to fight each other by the destruction and incitement of sects and ethnic fault lines in some places.

We have not forgotten how 2 million people in Iraq, one million in Syria and millions in different parts of Africa and South America were massacred for the sake of profit.

We have not forgotten the black-hearted, black-minded scoundrels who wish to do the same in our country if they could."

Erdoğan said that they have come to today with the help of Allah, the prayer and strength of the nation.

Underlining that the issue east of Euphrates would be resolved in accordance with our nation's and our country's sensitivities just like problems regarded as "unsolvable, untouchable, impenetrable" had been resolved, President Erdoğan pointed to diplomacy, dialogue and agreement as Turkey’s primary preference of solution.

"If we can obtain a result on this ground, that’s fine. This path would be more beneficial to all. However, if we are compelled toward a path or tried to be stalled, we have completed our preparations.

We will implement our own plans. Our UAVs, UCAVs, and helicopters have entered the area. The fortifications near our borders are being destroyed.

We expect our ground troops to enter the area very soon. When we cross our borders with our ground and air elements, we will have a chance to closely see the situation and determine the future of the process. I hope no one will try to test our determination to clear our Syrian border of terrorists."

Pointing to the problems in Idlib caused by the regime's violations, President Erdoğan noted that he discussed the issue with President Vladimir Putin of Russia and that he would visit Russia on August 27. Stating that they will shortly resolve these problems, President Erdoğan also highlighted the major steps taken in Iraq.

Underscoring that the operations, conducted in cooperation with the Iraqi Central Government, the administration in the north and Iran, would yield positive outcomes for all, President Erdoğan said: "Our drilling and seismic research activities in the Eastern Mediterranean continue at full speed. No one can obstruct us there." (ILKHA)