Turkey reacts to US expulsions from Kosovo

In a post on the Turkish Embassy's social network in Pristina, Turkish Embassy spokesman Hami Aksoy was quoted as saying that Turkish authorities are reaping concrete results in the fight against, as he has called it, “distributions of the terrorist organisation FETO<1> outside Turkey.

The “is increasingly understood that the organisation in question poses a serious risk not only for Turkey, but also for the countries where it is acting”, Aksoy was quoted.

“We invite other partners and allies to instead of trying to block measures taken against FETO, in the same way as showing a careful approach”, is said in the announcement Turkey's Embassy has made public.

Ankara's reaction follows the US Embassy's statement in Pristina, which has said that “has spent a year since Kosovo expelled six Turkish citizens without a proper process, claiming they threatened national security”.

Through this statement, the US called on Kosovo institutions to seek full responsibility from anyone who violates the law and reminded Kosovo leaders that “security institutions should operate only within their constitutional authority”.

The US Embassy's position about the expulsion of six Turkish citizens from Kosovo authorities has also fully supported the United Kingdom Embassy in Kosovo and the German Embassy.

On March 29th 2018, at the request of Turkish authorities, security bodies in Kosovo had arrested and deported six Turkish citizens to Turkey, five of them employees at the school “Mehmet Akif”, while the six-man exile is a doctor.

Their deportation has reportedly been done through a co-ordinated action between intelligence services from Turkey and Kosovo.

For the six Turkish citizens, Ankara suspects they are members of the organisation “Hizmet”, of Turkish religious leader Fetullah Gulen. The latter, Turkish authorities blame him for a coup effort in Turkey in 2016.