The defence minister also said the three Turkish military attaches – two from Greece and another from Bosnia – still at large following last month’s failed coup were now believed to be in Italy.
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A Turkish admiral posted in the United States has disappeared and is reported to have sought asylum after being sought by Turkish authorities to return home and participate in legal proceedings following charges of military espionage.
Zarif meanwhile expressed support to Turkey over last month’s failed coup attempt, praising the Turkish people for defying the “overthrow and use of force”.
The Greek foreign ministry said the two attaches fled before Ankara asked them to return toTurkey, and before officials cancelled their diplomatic passports.
“We are working to bring both these traitors back to Turkey”, he said, without detailing the allegations against the men.
“Of course, we welcome it”, the diplomat said commenting on Cavusoglu’s statement earlier on Thursday.
It’s been almost a month since the failed coup in Turkey, in which a group of military officers attempted to seize power and more than 270 people were killed.
Turkey has detained 35,022 people, of whom 17,740 have been formally arrested under court orders, since the attempted coup happened in July, a government official said on Thursday.
Turkey’s president has accused the West of supporting and aiding terrorism and said the coup in his country was organised by foreign powers (US, Saudis, UAE). He said on August 11 that two officials in Bangladesh fled to NY and another official had fled to Japan through Moscow.
“Turkey’s military attache in Bosnia was not called to Ankara, he is doing his business as usual”, a press officer from the embassy said on Thursday, adding that there was only one Turkish military attache in Bosnia.
The United States has refused extradition requests, saying there is no clear evidence of Gulen’s involvement in the coup attempt.
“We all need to stand against the extremism of (the Islamic State group) and al-Nusra”, he added. Ankara halted strikes after the downing of a Russian plane by Turkish forces past year.
Erdogan traveled to Moscow on Tuesday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Earlier, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency said navy Rear Adm. Mustafa Ugurlu, who was working at a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation base in the United States, had gone missing. “We have enough pilots in the Turkish Air Force in the case of an emergency, but we are below the necessary number”, Isik said of the decree.
