Turkey asks Ghana to restrict FETO activities

By Ali Kemal Akan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey's deputy prime minister Thursday asked Ghana to stop the activities of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in the African country.

Pointing out the existence of the FETO in many African countries, Numan Kurtulmus said: "We have asked them to limit the FETO activities in their country and to isolate the terrorist group, which has harmed Turkey."

His remarks came as he received Thursday at the prime ministry's Istanbul office Ghana's Information Minister and Spokesman for the Presidency.

Kurtulmus told the minister about the FETO's network of hundreds of schools around the world.

According to Turkey’s government, FETO leader Fetullah Gulen -- a resident of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania -- masterminded the July 15 defeated coup, which left at least 248 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara has also said the FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

At Thursday's meeting, the two also discussed "improving" bilateral relations in fields of economy, trade, and culture, Kurtulmus said, adding Ghana is strategically significant for Turkey.

"We are planning for a Turkey-Ghana business forum," he said and voiced expectation for an increased trading volume between the two countries.

Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, on his part, said his country wanted continuation of Turkey-Ghana friendship.

Turkey-Africa relations have gained a substantial momentum since the declaration of Turkey as a strategic partner of the Continent by the African Union in January 2008. Turkey has given further boost to its Africa policy as of 2013.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a five-day visit to Africa in January this year. The president and a delegation traveled to Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar where he signed a number of economic and trade deals.

The trip followed an earlier visit to the continent where the Turkish president traveled to the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea, Kenya and Uganda in 2016.