Domestically-produced weapons used to neutralize terrorists, says Erdoğan

Turkey is using domestically-produced weapons in its counterterrorism operations, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday.

“Hundreds of terrorists have been neutralized in northern Iraq and within our own borders. We are doing this with our own weapons. We used to go to the U.S. [to purchase weapons], and they would tell us to come back another day or that congress didn’t approve. We’re lucky they did. Now we produce our own armored vehicles, guns, artillery and drones,” said Erdoğan as he addressed a crowd of locals in Turkey’s Aydın before the Justice and Development (AK) Party’s provincial congress.

Fifteen years ago, Turkey produced 18 percent of its own weapons. Today, the figure stands at 70 percent. Turkey has a growing defense industry that produces arms and munition used by the Turkish army and that is also exported to other countries.

The president also commented on Turkey’s ongoing Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s northwestern Afrin.

“Turkish troops entered Afrin and cleared the terrorists. At least 3,991 terrorists have been neutralized so far. The figure may have even reached 4,000,” said Erdoğan, adding that the terrorists who martyred Turkish soldiers during the operation would pay a heavy price.