June 26, 2025
The Turkish president makes the remark during talks in Istanbul on Saturday
Doubts outweigh peace hopes in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast amid a crackdown on opposition parties and the surprise arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
Nearly 2,000 people have been detained recently
Imamoglu, a key opposition figure and potential challenger to President Erdogan, was detained on charges such as graft and aiding a terrorist group
The Istanbul mayor faces charges of corruption, and aiding a terrorist group
The government denies accusations and restricts gatherings
Turkey considers SDF Kurdish forces in Syria a terrorist group
