Obama Calls Erdogan, Discusses Gulen Extradition

US President Barack Obama spoke to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday and the two leaders discussed the status of Fethullah Gulen.

Erdogan has accused the Turkish cleric, who has been living in self-imposed exile in the US since 1999, of being behind Friday’s failed coup attempt.

President Obama also offered US assistance as Ankara investigates last week’s attempted coup, according to White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

Earnest said the Turkish government had filed materials in electronic form with the US government, which US officials were reviewing.

He said any extradition request from Turkey, once submitted, would be evaluated under the terms of a treaty between the two countries.

Earlier during the day, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had confirmed that an official request had been sent to the United States for the extradition of Fethullah Gulen.

At least 240 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were martyred in Istanbul and Ankara and nearly 1,500 others wounded as they protested against a coup attempt carried out by a faction of Turkey’s military, Anadolu Agency reported.

Hours after tens of thousands of people took to the streets in opposition to the attempted putsch against the democratically-elected government, President Erdogan on Saturday had called on Washington to extradite Gulen.

Moreover, a total of 8,777 personnel, including 30 governors, 52 civil inspectors and 16 legal advisers, were also dismissed from their duties, the Turkish Interior Ministry said in a statement.