Salih Muslim, one of the leaders of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s Syrian wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), who is responsible for the terrorist attacks in Turkey and the deportations and mass murders in northern Syria, was caught in Prague. There is no doubt that it is interesting that he got caught shortly after Turkey’s “red notice” decision.

Especially while the Afrin operation continues in all determination, while Turkey’s great fight against U.S. plans aimed at “sieging” our country by forming a “terror corridor” through the PKK/PYD from the Iranian border to the Mediterranean expands further, a top-level PKK/PYD figure’s detention within European borders has great significance.

He has been packaged and must be handed over to Turkey at once. Because he is a murdering criminal, he is behind civilian massacres and has committed crimes against humanity against both the people of Syria and of Turkey. Muslim getting caught as the Afrin operation continues is, surely, important in terms of the psychological breakdown it will cause in the PKK/PYD wing.

Yet for us, he is only a terrorist. His hierarchical position within the PKK, who he is close to or not, his significance for the U.S. and Europe has no value. For us, he is a PKK terrorist, a criminal, a symbol of evil, like all the racist terrorists sitting in Qandil and turning the entire region into a bloodbath, and he has the blood of our people and those living in Syria on his hands.

Such a figure being caught for the first time since Abdullah Öcalan was caught in Kenya, and as a matter of fact, him being caught and detained in European borders is a serious situation. We will wait and see the steps that will follow and, of course, we will not be prematurely happy. We are going to look at the steps taken. We are going to see what is behind his capture. We are going to see whether they will cooperate with Turkey.

Who knows, they might release him the moment we say, “Look, they caught Salih Muslim. European countries are also taking an attitude against PKK terrorism,” as a matter of fact, they could even say, “there has been a mistake.”

But if that does not happen, if they hand him over, if new names continue to be added to the list following Muslim, if EU countries take a determined and honest stance against the internal terror structures, if operations start throughout Europe against this terrorist organization that has turned our region into a bloodbath, then, an extraordinary period will have started.

That said, we know that you cannot fight terrorism with European countries. We have almost no trust left in this regard. We know very well that we cannot act jointly with them in any way against terrorism, that they are actually the most important reasons behind the pains Turkey has suffered in this regard. We experienced this many times. Because they always used terrorism as a card against us. They supported whoever was attacking Turkey.

They protected the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) after July 15 and granted all its senior directors the right to asylum. They funded the PKK, acted as a political shield for them. They said, since “It is attacking Turkey, let’s support it.” Country administrations, media, intelligentsia became so focused on “anti-Turkey sentiment” that they even took under protection organizations and persons responsible for civilian massacres.

The organizations and persons who have a score to settle with our country act as they please in Europe. Despite the bilateral agreements, international agreements between us, all the regulations and disposals, despite the crime files we submitted, they did not cooperate with Turkey.

But Europe should not forget that in the upcoming years all the countries that failed to cooperate with Turkey on terrorism are going to realize how great a mistake they made. The countries that invested in Turkey’s problems today, are, in a few years, going to be dragged into much greater problems.

Turkey will rise, overcome all this, and even if supported by Europe, it will negate the terror card and, one by one, overcome all those organizations and those figures. Those who pay no attention to Turkey’s friendship today, once everything is over, once the region’s power map changes, are going to seek its friendship, but it will be too late.

The U.S. should know that its plans to partner with the PKK and open the “Turkey front” is going to lose it an entire region. Very soon, it is going to realize that it will not be able to hold onto this region with a few of terrorist organizations and a couple of countries in the region that have lost strength. It is going to have to pay the price of losing Turkey’s friendship.

Muslim is a small figure in the file of evil. He is not an important man. But symbolically, his capture is extremely important. This file will not be completed unless he is prosecuted and handed over – this too is a fact. Still, the Czech Republic doing this will be carefully noted. This means one less person on the list of murderers.

This fight will not end before Turkey eliminates, neutralizes the PKK/PYD’s entire leadership cadre. Turkey is continuing to carry out a relentless fight against all elements of the organization in Turkey, as well as in both Syria and Iraq. Because this is homeland defense; that is the way we see and know it. One other leg of the fight is Europe.

This is the kind of fight that will be continued in every inch of land in the east of the Euphrates, which began with Afrin and will continue with Manbij.

Because we are no longer fighting terrorism. We are fighting for Turkey, for the region. Because we no longer care about the U.S. and Europe’s suggestions with secret agendas. We are fighting with our own bare hands, taking decisions in accordance to what we deem is right. This determination is an irreversible historic march, a rise.

Whether Europe cooperates or not, whether the U.S. partners with terrorism against us or not, this march is going to continue. It is in such a period that those who are close to Turkey, who cooperate, who have gained its friendship and trust will be victorious.

We want Germany and other European countries to let go of their prejudices, refrain from falling hostage to the perspective of marginal groups and cooperate with Turkey against the PKK. None of you are opening a page in history that you will be proud of by backing a terrorist organization. This card is the terror card; regardless of how effectively you use it, you be left with it in your hand. Look a little into history, a little into geography and you will see this.

Whether you are with us or not, that Qandil is going to be razed to the ground. Those who have been terror barons for decades are going to be eliminated one by one. Those shields, arsenals in northern Syria are going to be blasted one by one. All the scenarios through the PKK and PYD are going to vaporize. All this is going to happen and Turkey is the one that will do it. Then, you will have to watch from outside the region, empty-handed.

One day, PKK elements, terror barons, are going to see that the support they receive from the West is going to be of no use, that there will be no investment made in them in the new geography design, that they will be used and disposed of; that is when they will see that they will not even be able to protect their own heads.

Turkey must take action regardless of geographical borders to catch, to deactivate PKK/PYD leaders with as much determination as it is showing in Afrin, Manbij and further east.

This is going to happen.

The Salih Muslim incident must be a new beginning. For Turkey, the elimination of the PKK’s leadership cadres should be considered an indication that the terror card is a futile pursuit for Europe. A new process must start. Because it should avoid falling victim to Europe, the U.S. and Israel.

It should be known that from now on, the "terror" card will not exist, and those who use it will be seen as entering a showdown between states. As they try to change our maps, the world’s map is changing. Nobody can predict the kind of surprises this has in store and for which country.

Salih Muslim’s detention was a big surprise during the fight along the Afrin-Manbij line. We hope his handing over will create a tradition. Yet, whether this happens or not, we are going to continue our own journey.