Turkey’s military formally ousted a large part of its general officer corps Friday for alleged participation in the failed July 15 military coup, and a public clash broke out between the Turkish leadership and senior US security aides who appeared sorry to see the cashiered officers go.
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“We have certainly had relationships with a lot of Turkish leaders, military leaders in particular”, Votel told the Aspen Security Forum on Thursday.
With long land borders with Syria and Iraq, Turkey is a central part of the USA -led military operation against Islamic State.
Serdar Kilic, Turkey’s ambassador to Washington, said last week that his country would accept a USA offer to work with the State and Justice departments on an extradition request for the Turkish cleric.
The president’s critics say Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possible death on the night of the coup, is using the mass purges to crack down indiscriminately on dissent and to tighten his grip on the nation of almost 80 million.
“Are you the one to decide on this [imprisonment]?”
In what he called a gesture of goodwill since the failed military coup, Erdogan said Friday according to BBC, “I am going to withdraw all the cases regarding the disrespectful insults made against me”.
The government has said the deadly coup attempt was organized by the followers of USA -based preacher Fetullah Gulen.
“The putschist is already in your country”, Erdogan said.
Johannes Hahn said he needed to see “black-and-white facts about how these people are treated”. “You can never convince my people otherwise”. “Who are you? Know your place”, he said, and hinted the United States could be behind the failed plot.
“You reveal yourself with your remarks”.
He added, “Turkey has been an extraordinary and vital partner in the region for many years”.
“Any reporting that I had anything to do with the recent unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey is unfortunate and completely inaccurate”, Votel said. It is accusing Western nations of not extending sufficient support to its efforts to counter further threats from followers of the Gulen movement, which it says have infiltrated the country’s state institutions.
Turkish authorities cut electricity to the base after it was discovered that Turkish forces at Incirlik were involved in the coup, and two tanker aircraft took off from the base to refuel F-16’s involved in the failed putsch.
The number of public sector workers removed from their posts since the coup attempt now stands at more than 66,000, including some 43,000 people in education, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Friday.
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Votel, noting some limitations on USA operations in Incirlik Air Base said the electricity problem at the base in the southern Turkish city of Adana has been resolved.
