Turkey is an important partner for the U.S. in the fight against Islamic State. “We appreciate Turkey’s continuing cooperation and look forward to our future partnership in the counter-ISIL fight”, the general said, referring to IS.
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Gen. Joseph Votel said Thursday the unrest could affect US relations with the Turkish military, noting that some of its leaders have been jailed. “This is a known fact”, Erdogan said. “Who are you? Know your place.” . The U.S. launches airstrikes, surveillance aircraft and other missions out of the Incirlik air base.
Mr Erdogan’s chief adviser then followed up with an assessment that the coup was triggered by Turkey’s warming relations with the Kremlin: “Without doubt”, Cemil Ertem wrote in the Milliyet newspaper, Turkish efforts to resolve regional conflicts and fix relations with Russian Federation triggered the coup attempt. The power was restored five days later.
Turkey’s military is already stretched, given the violence in the mainly Kurdish southeast, and threats from attacks by the militant Islamic State group on its border with Syria. “We’ve certainly had relationships with a lot of Turkish leaders, military leaders in particular”, he said.
On Thursday, at least 500 demonstrators – Turkish media gave varying estimates on their numbers – were at the gates of Incirlik burning USA flags and demanding an end to the US presence. The government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with his office’s regulations, said the revocations were a precaution against the flight risk of possible terror suspects.
In March, about 600 of the 700 USA military families in Turkey were evacuated.
He said life in Turkey had returned to normal after the July 15 coup attempt was crushed. Cook said he was not aware of any changes in the status of the dependents still in Turkey.
The head of US Central Command, General Joseph Votel, said any claims he was involved in the coup were “unfortunate and completely inaccurate”.
Cavasoglu also told CNN Turk that over 300 personnel in the foreign ministry have been linked to the cleric, adding that Turkey may also remove some ambassadors linked to the coup attempt.
In response, Erdogan lashed out at Votel, saying the US general was not in a position to make such comments and meddle in the internal affairs of Turkey.
Turkish President Erdogan has accused US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen of being the mastermind behind the coup attempt and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned that ties with the U.S. will be affected if the USA does not extradite him.
USA intelligence chiefs have warned purges in Turkey are harming the fight against ISIS, after Turkish President Erdogan jailed some of the country’s best officers.
He voiced concerns that in the long run the coup and Ankara’s efforts to clear the military of coup supporters would have an effect on USA operations in the region. The main motive was to make aware the people about this news.
Since the coup, tens of thousands of people – including police, judges and teachers – have been suspended or placed under investigation.
“Without doubt”, Cemil Ertem wrote in the Milliyet newspaper, Turkish efforts to resolve regional conflicts and fix relations with Russian Federation triggered the coup attempt.
On July 25, Yeni Safak claimed that retired US Army General John F. Campbell, the former commander of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces in Afghanistan, was behind the foiled coup attempt.
“We will bring him back to Turkey”.
Clapper, asked about the impact of events in Turkey on the fight against ISIS, replied: “It’s having an effect, because it’s affected all segments of the national security apparatus in Turkey”.
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Turkish prosecutors and police have conducted searches at the base, and its commander, General Bekir Ercan Van, has been arrested along with more than a dozen lower ranking officers on charges of complicity in the attempted coup.
