UPDATE - Erdogan: Turkey is determined to clear Africa of FETO

ADDS MORE REMARKS FROM ERDOGAN

By Merve Yildizalp, Sarp Ozer, Mumin Altas and Yesim Sert Karaaslan

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that Turkey was determined to clear Africa of the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), the group behind last year's defeated coup in Turkey.

Speaking at Esenboga Airport in the capital Ankara before his departure for Sudan, Erdogan said FETO fooled people through sham education and aid services.

Turkey is determined to clear Africa of "FETO murderers", he added, ahead of his three-day visit to Sudan, Chad and Tunisia.

"Many African countries immediately after the coup attempt [in Turkey] deported FETO members and transferred the schools run by the group to our Maarif Foundation," Erdogan said, adding that he hoped more countries would follow suit.

The Maarif Foundation has recently assumed control of numerous schools -- previously run by FETO -- around the world, including 32 in Africa, according to figures released by Turkey's National Education Ministry.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Erdogan also said that he remained undecided over making a call to U.S. President Donald Trump after the UN General Assembly resolution on Jerusalem.

"We will, of course, seek ways of getting in touch again. I also hope that Mr. Trump calls us," he said, adding that nothing was stopping him from making contact.

Erdogan said Turkey currently holds the presidency at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and if Trump had consulted with Ankara, Washington would not have made the mistake of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The UN's 193-member General Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution on Jerusalem with an overwhelming majority, calling on the U.S. to withdraw its recognition of the city as Israel's capital.

On Dec. 6, Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital despite worldwide opposition, sparking angry demonstrations across the Muslim world. Erdogan and other top Turkish officials have been at the international forefront opposing the U.S. move.