Turkish minister calls for immediate Gulen extradition

ANKARA

A Turkish government minister has said the U.S. should extradite Fetullah Gulen without hesitation.

In remarks made to Anadolu Agency on Saturday, Faruk Celik said Gulen should be immediately sent to Turkey without a delay of “even one day”.

Recalling how nearly 250 people were martyred in the July 15 defeated coup attempt, Celik said: "There is no reason to make an investigation into a person who committed these murders. Everything is clear."

Turkish officials shared information with U.S. delegations last week on four different files on Gulen, who is also accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

Celik said a failure to extradite Gulen from his residence in Pennsylvania would mean Turkey’s 79 million people would never forget it.

‘Turkey fights all terrorist organizations’

Celik also evaluated the Turkish military’s operation in northern Syria to clear Daesh and other terrorist organizations from Jarabulus.

"This place is an indispensable and critical area for us. We said that Turkey would strike a clear attitude against all potential conscious, unconscious, planned and unplanned operations in this region."

Celik said that the Jarabulus and Azaz regions of Syria had been occupied by terrorist organizations in recent times.

"If the aim is to fight against Daesh, Turkey has always declared it. Turkey is fighting against all terrorist organizations; Daesh is one of them," Celik said.

The operation is in line with the country’s right to self-defense borne out of international treaties and a mandate given to the armed forces by parliament in 2014, extended for another year in Sep. 2015.

Operations by the Turkish Armed Forces, which have been actively fighting Daesh, have significantly contributed to ongoing efforts of the U.S.-backed international coalition against the terror group.

*Reporting by Huseyin Yesilkavak Writing by Emin Avundukluoglu