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28 March 2024

No US hand in Turkey coup

A man stays next to a sign reading in Turkish language "Traitors' Cemetery" is seen in front of unmarked graves built specially by Istanbul municitality for the dead failed coup soldiers, on July 28,2016 at Pendik district in Istanbul. (AFP)

Published
By Agencies

A top military chief and other officials insisted Friday that the United States was not involved in the attempted military coup in Turkey, underscoring tense relations between the allies.

Long-standing partners in NATO and officially fighting side-by-side against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, the US and Turkey have endured severe strains in recent months that were aggravated by the foiled coup in mid-July.

The commander of US forces in the Middle East, General Joseph Votel, issued a statement Friday asserting that he had no link to the coup attempt in Turkey, an unusual move by one of the highest-ranked US military leaders.

"Any reporting that I had anything to do with the recent unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey is unfortunate and completely inaccurate," Votel said.

"Turkey has been an extraordinary and vital partner in the region for many years. We appreciate Turkey's continuing cooperation and look forward to our future partnership in the counter-ISIL fight," the general said.

Votel's comments came after Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier in the day directly linked him to the overthrow attempt.

President Barack Obama's administration also weighed in, with White House spokesman Eric Schultz saying of Erdogan's accusation: "It is entirely false."

Obama considers Erdogan "a close ally," the spokesman said.

"We work together on a number of the president's international priorities" including the fight against the Daesh, he added.

Erdogan on Friday accused Votel of siding with Turkey's coup plotters, a day after the general reportedly commented that the country's turmoil could downgrade military cooperation with Washington.

"You are taking the side of coup plotters instead of thanking this state for defeating the coup attempt," Erdogan said in angry remarks at a military center in Golbasi near Ankara, where air strikes left dozens dead during the failed putsch on July 15.

According to US media reports, Votel had said the coup bid and subsequent round-up of dozens of generals could affect American military cooperation with Turkey.

In particular, Votel reportedly suggested the US had lost key Turkish military interlocutors who are now in jail and accused of being behind the coup.