Erdogan Vows Not to 'Abandon Turkey to Terrorists' after Deadly Attacks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday vowed not to abandon the country to "terrorists" after deadly attacks by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). 

"We did not and will not abandon the nation's future to three or five terrorists," Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara, after 30 Turkish soldiers and police were killed in two separate attacks carried out by the Kurdish militants over the last three days.

"In this country, the burial mound for martyrs has never remained empty. It appears it will never remain empty," said Erdogan. 

But he promised that "with God's permission, Turkey, which has overcome plenty of crises, will get over the plague of terror."

Erdogan said the security forces' operations against the PKK caused "serious damage" to the separatist group at home and abroad.

The spike in violence has left a 2013 truce between the PKK and the Turkish state in tatters. 

Erdogan held the PKK responsible for "blocking a path to settlement" and said "after this moment, the only solution that can be given consent by the state and people is for the terrorist organization to end its acts and lay down arms."

The president said anyone who fails to condemn "attacks carried out by the separatist terrorist organisation and other terrorist organizations without ifs and buts has a problem in his bonds with this country."

He said snap elections, due on November 1, would provide a solution to the problems.

"The place for settling accounts in democracies is ballot box, elections," he added.

"I believe on November 1 our people will demand that some are brought to account for what has happened."

He also urged political rivals to brush aside "competition," saying "what we need is unity."