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Παρασκευή, 02 Αυγούστου 2019 20:10

Turkey's interior minister: Roughly 8,000 Gulenists have fled country for Greece

Turkey's interior minister, Suleiman Soylu, on Friday claimed that at least 8,000 members of the Gulen movement have fled Turkey by using the migrant smuggling routes used third country nationals to reach Greece.

Turkey's interior minister, Suleiman Soylu, on Friday claimed that at least 8,000 members of the Gulen movement have fled Turkey by using the migrant smuggling routes used third country nationals to reach Greece.

Members of the movement, known as FETO in Turkey, are accused of belong to a now illegal organization blamed by the Turkish government and the ruling AKP party for a July 2016 coup attempt.

In a press briefing and in response to a question on whether ISIS terrorists are posing as "migrants and refugees" in order to infiltrate Turkey, Soylu added that this was also routine practice by the PKK and FETO, both of which officially Ankara has outlawed as terrorist groups.

Soylu said alleged FETO members use the land route to reach Greece, i.e. in the Thrace province that is separated by the Evros/Maritsa River.