Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has alluded to the goal of the ground military operation in northern Syria, which Turkish army leaders and commanders hinted at a few weeks ago, that it would soon start, against what Ankara considers "terrorist organizations".
Erdogan said, in a speech he delivered after a meeting of the Turkish government today, Monday, that Turkey should not be disturbed by Turkey's military operations aimed at what he called "expanding the security belt on its southern borders," stressing that "these operations do not target anyone because of his race or religion."
He added that "it is no longer acceptable for some Western countries to provide support to terrorist organizations that target Turkish territory," and that his country does not have to "put up with the hypocrisy of the supporting forces by changing the names of the organizations to justify their support."
The Turkish president also said that terrorist organizations pose a threat to the countries of the world and the countries that support them should realize this, and that "no one should be disturbed by Turkey's policies centered on justice and solidarity, and its diplomatic openness based on friendship and cooperation."
Erdogan also stressed that his country will not obtain permission from anyone to fight these terrorist organizations, and that it does not seek permission from anyone when it takes steps related to Turkey's security.
He added, "No one will be able anymore to force our country into positions that contradict our interests through hollow threats," as he put it.
"From now on, the expiry date of the terrorists whom we buried yesterday in the holes they dug has expired, and we will make the concrete tunnels they are sheltering in today their graves," he said.
These statements come at a time when the Turkish bombardment continued for the ninth day in a row, on the sites of what are known as the Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria, as part of an operation that Ankara called the "claw-sword".
Turkey launched its military operation a week after it accused the Kurdistan Workers' Party - which is based in Iraq - and the Kurdish units in Syria of being behind the Istanbul bombing, which killed 6 people and wounded 81 others.
Both Moscow and Washington expressed their opposition to the ground military operation that Turkey intends to carry out in northern Syria.
And the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the neutralization of 14 militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party and the Kurdish People's Protection Units.
This comes at a time when the commissioner of the Turkish border town of "Qarqimish" announced the suspension of schools throughout the district for a period of two days, starting today, Monday.