New statement from Süleyman Soylu regarding the '86 terrorists left' remarks on the agenda: 'They were constantly monitored'

İYİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Turhan Çömez recalled Soylu’s 2023 remarks on the PKK and asked, "Look, in recent days, the terrorist organization PKK held a so-called congress, and 232 people attended this congress.

The reports are in that direction. Well, some time ago, a person who served as Interior Minister in this country, what did he say? 'What weapons will they lay down? There are 86 terrorists left. They cannot breathe.' It means that a person who has served as Interior Minister in this country is incapable of seeing what is right under his nose. Can there be such a country administration?"

A response came from Süleyman Soylu regarding his statement from that day that "there are 86 terrorists left in the PKK."

Soylu's statement is as follows:

"Regarding the distortion in Parliament and many media outlets that 'Süleyman Soylu said there are 86 terrorist organization members, but the PKK's dissolution congress gathered with 232 people, the figures he gave are wrong,' here is our answer on how the state determines terrorist organization members domestically and abroad... Governing a state and engaging in politics are serious businesses. Throughout the history of the fight against terrorism, the Ministry of Interior, the General Staff, and the MIT come together twice a year to determine the number of armed terrorist organization members inside and outside the country, those who joined the organization, those who surrendered, those who moved from inside the country to outside and from outside to inside, camp areas, logistics, and organizational strategies, and this is shared with the public as deemed necessary by the National Security Council (MGK) or the cabinet.

Governing a state and engaging in politics are serious businesses.

For example, we provided these figures before the 2023 elections; we also provided them in 2022; we provided them in 2021. How many terrorist organization members are in this region; I said an average of 3 thousand; 2800-3200 terrorists. 12750-14550 armed collaborators. Where is this; the Iraq line averages 2425-2835, which makes 2650-2700. Where is this; Iran-Iraq-Syria. *This number already exists outside; and this number has been constantly monitored by the Republic of Turkey.

Inside the country as well, who is where; on which line; how many people there are; in their terminology, what is happening in Botan; what is happening in the central field; at the same time what is happening in Serhat; all of these, who they are, how many people there are; in which areas they are located, are steps that have been monitored by the Republic of Turkey for many years; information that has been formed as a result of these intellectual pursuits carried out for many years, and strategies developed based on this.

One should not fall into the trap of the games and slanders of those who produce words just to be hostile on 3-4 social media platforms."