Turkey's Erdoğan praises Moldova for fighting against FETO terror group
"We thank Moldova for its cooperation in the struggle against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization [FETO] and extraditing its members to Turkey," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed in his comments to journalists after the meeting with his Moldovan counterpart Igor Dodon at the Beştepe Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara on Monday.
- World
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 09:34 | 30 December 2019
- Modified Date: 09:40 | 30 December 2019
Turkey expects Moldova to expand cooperation by transferring schools run by the terror group FETO to responsible ownership, said Turkey's president after meeting with his Moldovan counterpart in the Turkish capital Ankara.
"We thank Moldova for its cooperation in anti-terror fight against the FETO and extraditing its members to Turkey," Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters after the meeting with Igor Dodon at the presidential complex.
Erdoğan said Turkey expects schools run by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) -- the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey -- to be transferred to the Maarif Foundation, a Turkish educational foundation.
"Moldova's Education Ministry and Turkey's Maarif Foundation can jointly work on the issue," he said.
During high-level strategic cooperation council meetings, the two leaders spoke privately about bilateral relations.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
FETO has a considerable presence abroad, including private schools which serve as a revenue stream for the terror group.