'We Do Not Have Unlimited Patience,' Erdogan

By Kamaran Aziz

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — In an Eid al-Fitr message, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that Türkiye’s patience with the PKK and its Syrian affiliate, the YPG, is nearing its limit, renewing his demand for the militant groups to disarm and dissolve without further delay.

His remarks, delivered in a public prayer address, reflect Ankara’s sharpened posture toward security threats along its southern border and in neighboring Syria.

“We do not have unlimited time or patience in this regard,” Erdogan said during his Eid prayers at Istanbul’s Grand Camlica Mosque. “We expect the organization to dissolve itself and completely disarm.”

The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the EU, has long been accused by Ankara of using northern parts of the Kurdistan Region bordering Türkiye and northern Syria as operational sanctuaries to wage cross-border attacks.

Erdogan underscored that Türkiye’s long-running campaign against terrorism—especially the PKK/YPG—is part of a broader strategic roadmap aimed at securing the nation’s borders and preserving regional stability.

“We are continuing the work we have initiated in line with our ‘Terror-Free Türkiye’ goal,” he stated, emphasizing that the process must now be matched by reciprocal action from the armed groups.

The Turkish president tied his latest message to a wider regional context, warning that efforts to undermine Syria’s territorial integrity and maintain instability on Türkiye’s southern border will not be tolerated. “We are aware of those who want to sabotage the steps taken within the framework of Syria's territorial integrity and national unity,” he said, adding, “and God willing, we will not allow any of them.”

Erdogan also acknowledged the political peace process initiated by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, affirming that Türkiye has done its part by supporting a ceasefire framework. “Now it is time for the organization to comply with the call, recklessly and without hesitation,” Erdogan stated. “Our global, regional and internal dynamics provide us with a more suitable ground than ever for such a process to be concluded successfully.”

Erdogan’s statement comes amid heightened geopolitical sensitivity, particularly in light of ongoing military developments in Syria and Türkiye’s intensified efforts to curtail Kurdish armed influence in the region. While Türkiye has maintained communication with various actors involved in Syria’s transitional process, Ankara has remained firmly opposed to any political inclusion of the YPG or affiliated entities.

His Eid message also pivoted to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, which he described as a “genocide” being carried out before the world’s eyes. “Unfortunately, we have spent this Ramadan bitterly due to the oppression, massacres and pain experienced in different corners of our heart,” Erdogan said. “The genocide in Gaza in particular is constantly reaching a more serious dimension with images that will tear the hearts of anyone with a shred of conscience, morality and understanding.”

Erdogan’s tone was one of both defiance and urgency—urging militant groups to seize what he described as a historic opportunity to lay down arms and resolve decades of bloodshed, while condemning the silence and inaction of the international community in the face of Palestinian suffering. “When we achieve this together,” he concluded, referring to the dismantling of the PKK, “we will have completely saved our country from a bloody and difficult 40-year calamity, God willing.”

As Türkiye’s internal and border security policies intersect increasingly with broader regional dynamics—from Syria’s post-war settlement to Gaza’s humanitarian tragedy—Erdogan’s Eid message reinforces the central role Türkiye seeks to play in shaping outcomes that affect both its immediate neighborhood and the Muslim world at large.