ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was reelected as head of ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party after he secured the votes of 1,380 delegates at the party's 6th ordinary congress in capital Ankara on Saturday.

In his speech, Erdogan thanked all party delegates for taking part in the congress. "May God helps us," he said.

The party delegates also voted for the new 50-member strong Central Decision and Executive Board (MKYK).

A total of 29 new names have been elected in the MKYK.

Central Disciplinary Board (MDK), Intra-Party Democracy and Arbitration Board, and Political Virtue and Ethics Board members were also determined by the delegates.

The new MKYK members convened on Saturday at 6.30 p.m. (1530GMT) at the party headquarters.

Erdogan is expected to announce new Central Executive Board (MYK) members after the MKYK meeting.

MYK members will assist Erdogan as the party's deputy chairmen.

Erdogan hosts honorary lunch

The AK Party normally holds its grand congress once every three years. The last one was held in September 2015.

In May 2017, the AK Party held an extraordinary congress following the historic approval of a raft of constitutional changes that April. At the congress, Erdogan was reelected as head of the party.

Later on Saturday, Erdogan hosted an honorary lunch for several high-ranking officials from different countries on the sidelines of the AK Party ordinary congress at the presidential complex.

Presidents of Guinea Alpha Conde, Equatorial Guinea's Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Somalia's Muhammed Abdullahi Muhammed, Zambia's Deputy President Inonge Wina, Tunisian Al-Nahda's Rashid Al-Ghannushi, as well as Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, attended the lunch.

Turkish Parliament speaker and former Prime Miniter Binali Yildirim also attended the program.  

Earlier at the congress, the president Recep Tayyip Erdogan had warned against threatening his country with sanctions.

“Some are threatening us with economy, sanctions, exchange rates, interests and inflation. We see your game and we challenge it," Erdogan said.

“Turkey did not and will not surrender to those which try to make Turkey as a strategic target,” he said in reference to the U.S. without naming the country.