Turkey’s fight against the DAESH terrorist organization has started long before DAESH stepped into the stage of history. The platform of violence and instability that came along with the start of the Syrian crisis has drawn the radicals from many countries just like a magnet. In addition to Lebanon and Iraq which are neighboring countries of Syria, Turkey has also become a route of passage of foreign terrorist fighters. Our country, visited yearly by around 40 million tourists, immediately took actions in relation to the established terrorist suspects by taking the necessary precautions at border gates and interurban terminals.

On the other hand, it can be said that Turkey has become one of the targets of the DAESH terrorist organization as of the year 2013. The organization that executed its first attack in Niğde during this period took the Mosul Consulate General staff hostage in 2014. DAESH performed a series of suicide attacks, bombing attacks and armed raids in 2015 and 2016 and targeted the Turkish citizens. In addition to the precautions taken against terrorists within our borders, the Operation Euphrates Shield was launched in the summer of 2016 and the Turkish Armed Forces conducted a successful cross-border counter-terrorist operation with the cooperation of the Free Syrian Army.

As a result of the comprehensive and determined steps taken in the area of fight against DAESH, significant successes have been achieved and the terrorists were prevented from threatening our citizens within the Turkish land and outside of our borders.

The Republic of Turkey continues to be in the forefront in the fight against DAESH for its own wellbeing and the safety of the international society.