Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on August 7 accused Germany of assisting "terrorists" by not responding to thousands of files sent to Berlin or handing over suspects wanted by Turkish authorities.
“Germany is abetting terrorists,” Erdogan told a conference in the Black Sea province of Rize, in comments likely to further escalate tensions between the two countries, according to Reuters.
“We gave (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel 4,500 dossiers, but have not received an answer on a single one of them,” he told members of his ruling AK Party.
In Berlin, a German government source rejected Erdogan's latest remarks.
“Everything has really been said about this,” said the source. “Repeating the same accusations over and over again does not make them any more true.”
Reuters says already tense relations deteriorated further last month after Turkey arrested 10 rights activists, including a German, as part of a wider security crackdown.
A Turkish prosecutor has reportedly accused them of links to the network of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for a failed coup in July 2016. The U.S.-based Gulen denies any involvement.
Erdogan also revived warnings of military action against Kurdish fighters in Syria that could set back the U.S.-led battle against Islamic State (ISIS).
Kurdish fighters are spearheading an assault against the hardline militants in their Syrian stronghold Raqqa.
Media reports say that U.S. backing for the Kurdish YPG fighters in Syria has infuriated Turkey, which views their growing battlefield strength as a security threat.
A citizen of Tajikistan accused of justifying a Crocus City Hall terror attack
All relatives of Faridoun Shamsiddin in Tajikistan taken away and his sister deported from Russia
Uzbekistan puts mosaic panels on the list of cultural heritage sites
Foreign companies' losses from exiting Russia market reportedly exceed 107 billion US dollars
Russia to set up a state-owned operator for the organized recruitment of labor migrants
Tajikistan has to use alternative energy sources more actively in support of hydropower
Central Asian labor migrants working in Russia face fury and raids
The death toll in the Krasnogorsk concert hall attack rises to 143
How Japan supports Tajikistan's health sector
The United States expected to issue more special immigration visas for former Afghan allies
All news
Авторизуйтесь, пожалуйста