Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday night responded to threats from the Islamic State (ISIS) to conquer Istanbul, reiterating his country’s determination to fight anti-state terrorists.
“Every bullet and every bomb fired, and every hole dug against the state and its people, will be brought to account,” he said at a ceremony at the Turkish General Staff headquarters in the capital Ankara, according to the Anadolu news agency.
The ceremony was held in honor of General Hulusi Akar, who was appointed as the country’s new chief of general staff on August 5.
Erdogan said that the country together with all its institutions would continue to remain on alert amid increased attacks on security forces.
“We will never allow parallel state elements within the state,” he was quoted by Anadolu as having said.
“Those who believe in democracy will never draw their strength from terrorist organizations, but from people’s will. So, we as people have to continue our fight together with our soldiers, policemen, intelligence [units] and village guards through cooperation,” Erdogan added.
Earlier on Tuesday, ISIS released a video in which Turks are urged to rise up against Erdogan, accusing him of being a traitor who has sided with the United States.
A bearded Turkish member of ISIS is seen in the video, speaking in Turkish and calling for the “conquest” of Istanbul. The ISIS terrorist accuses Erdogan of being a “traitor” before calling on the “people of Turkey to revolt.”
The video – said to have been recorded in the ISIS-controlled Raqa province of northern Syria – is one of the clearest such threats yet made by ISIS against Turkey. Previously Turkey was shown to be cooperating with ISIS, but recently it started a crackdown on the group following a lethal suicide attack, and likewise has launched a much harsher crackdown on Kurdish militants.