NIAMEY
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey's struggle against the separatist terror organization PKK would continue by security operations.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Niger's President Mohammed Issoufou in Niamey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that "while the fight against PKK would continue, we may conduct negotiations with the political extension of PKK."
"Our position is same. Our steps taken in recent days show our sincerity on the matter," Erdogan underlined.
Reminded about PKK's attack on a gendarmery outpost in Cukurca town of the south-eastern province of Hakkari on Monday night which resulted in the death of one Turkish expert sergeant and asked if PKK intended to sabotage the process, Prime Minister Erdogan underlined that "PKK's provocations were nothing new."
"It was a provocative incident we got used to," Erdogan noted.
"We want to see forces of the separatist terror organization leave Turkey after giving up arms. Everyone has to be careful on this issue. We are only concerned about the peace and happiness of our people," Erdogan stated.
Answering a question on the exchange of prisoners in Damascus on Wednesday, Prime Minister Erdogan stated that the exchange of prisoners became successful after a Turkish NGO and Qatar mediated the process.
"Four Turks and several Palestinians were involved in the prisoner exchange in Damascus," Erdogan also said.
As part of the deal, Syrian opposition released 48 Iranian nationals while the Syrian administration released 2,130 people, including many women and children.
