Türkiye to renew request for Sweden, Finland to extradite terrorists

Türkiye expects Sweden and Finland to extradite terrorists affiliated with the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag has said.

Speaking to reporters after an event in the capital Ankara, Bozdag reiterated on Wednesday that the Nordic countries should keep the promise made to Türkiye, saying 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. We will write about their extradition again after the agreement and remind them”, he said.

As part of the memorandum signed on Tuesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid, Türkiye withdrew an objection to the membership of Sweden and Finland to NATO.

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

READ MORE: Explained: Finland, Sweden commitments to Türkiye's security concerns

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO last month, a decision spurred by Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

Türkiye, a longstanding member of the alliance, objected to their membership bids, criticising the countries for tolerating and even supporting terrorist groups such as the PKK and FETO.

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.

READ MORE: How Europe became a safe haven for the PKK