Turkish Consulate General in Hargeisa on Thursday called for the Government of Somaliland to shut down schools that are linked to Fethullah Gulen, a prominent Turksih cleric based in the Unites Stated whom Erdogan Government accused of orchestrating the failed coup attempt in Turkey.
The Consular of Turkey to Somaliland Mr. Muzaffer Yüksel held a press conference in Hargeisa in which he explained Fethullah Gulen’s role in last Friday’s bloody failed coup attempt.
Mr. Yüksel said that the Turkish Government submitted official request to Somaliland to close Nile Academy and other charity based institutions linked to Fethullah Gulen.
“We are now awaiting the response of the Government of Somaliland” he told local media.
“We know that he (Mr. Gulen) was behind the coup and that is why our Government wants all schools that are affiliated with him be closed” Mr. Yüksel added.
Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Dr. Sa’ad Ali Shire told Voice of America on Wednesday that his Government will not comply with the request of the Turkish Government to the Federal Government of Somalia to close Nile Academy.
“A court should first investigate the role of Gulen in the coup and the relationship between Gulen and Nile Academy if Somaliland is to shut it down” Dr. Saad said. He did not however mention that the Turkish Government sent official request pertaining this issue to Somaliland.
If Somaliland insists not to close Nile Academy, it might affect the ambiguous relationship between Somaliland and Turkey Government.
