Turkey asks Trump to extradite Gulen

Turkey’s prime minister calls on Donald Trump to extradite US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen — blamed by Ankara for the failed coup in July — as soon as he is sworn in.

Binali Yildirim says he hopes the new US leadership will take into consideration Turkey’s “sensitivities concerning the fight against terrorism,” give priority to policies that would bring peace and stability to the region and advance traditional friendship between the two countries.

Ties between the two allies have been strained over perceptions in Turkey that the US is reluctant to arrest and extradite Gulen. Turkey is also frustrated by Washington’s backing for Syrian Kurdish militia fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. Ankara considers the militia to be a terrorist group.

— AP