UPDATE - Türkiye expects Sweden, Finland to extradite PKK, FETO terrorists

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY JUSTICE MINISTER

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye expects Sweden and Finland to extradite terrorists affiliated with the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the Turkish justice minister said Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after an event in the capital Ankara, Bekir Bozdag reiterated that the Nordic countries should keep the promise made to Türkiye.

He was referring to an agreement signed between Türkiye, Sweden and Finland on Tuesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid.

As part of the agreement, Türkiye withdrew an objection to the membership of Sweden and Finland to NATO.

In return, the Nordic countries will address Ankara's concern over terrorism and lift an arms embargo on Türkiye.

Bozdag said Türkiye has been fighting all kinds of terrorist organizations, and the security of NATO is only possible when the security of member states is guaranteed.

“We see that many countries, including the US, Germany, France and Sweden, have been supporting terrorist organizations for a long time,” he said.

“Not only PKK but also FETO, PYD and YPG are also listed as terrorist organizations in the memorandum, even though they were not listed as so before,” he said.

Bozdag suggested that a council comprising security, justice and intelligence teams be made to monitor the situation over time.

Ankara will watch the situation closely, he said.

- Extradition of terrorists

Bozdag said Ankara expects the countries to extradite PKK and FETO terrorists to Türkiye.

“The files are waiting: for six PKK members and six FETO members in Finland; 10 FETO and 11 PKK members in Sweden,” he said.

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join the alliance last month, a decision spurred by Russia's war on Ukraine.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.​​​​​​​

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Türkiye, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 injured.