Western countries, which issued travel warnings to Turkey after the Qur’an burning incidents in Sweden, are temporarily closing their representations in Istanbul.
After England and the Netherlands, Germany announced that the Consulate General in Istanbul was closed today for security reasons.
In a statement made by the official Instagram address of the German Consulate General in Istanbul, gk.istanbul, it was noted that the consulate will remain closed for “security” reasons on February 1, and visa and passport procedures have been cancelled.
At the entrance of the consulate in Taksim Gümüşsuyu, “The consulate is closed today. All appointments have been canceled. You can reach the current developments on our website.” letter was posted. Security measures were taken in front of the consulate.
Previously, the UK and the Netherlands temporarily closed their representations in Istanbul, citing the ‘terrorist risk’.
Terrorism warning from France
The Consulate General of France in Istanbul also ‘to be careful with its citizens in Turkey due to the high risk of terrorist attacks’ made the call. The announcement drew attention to places of worship, consular representations and touristic places in the Beyoğlu district, and asked the French to stay away from the crowds.
The United States, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark warned their citizens last week that the risk of attacks in Turkey was increasing.
“The US government is warning its citizens against possible retaliatory attacks by terrorists on churches, synagogues, diplomatic missions in Istanbul or other places frequented by Westerners, especially Beyoğlu, Galata, Taksim and Istiklal areas,” the US Embassy in Ankara said yesterday.
What happened?
Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right Tight Direction Party (Stram Kurs), burned the Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on January 21. Then he did the same action in front of a mosque in Denmark.
Subsequently, the USA, Germany, Belgium, France, Belgium, Spain, Sweden and Italy issued travel warnings against Turkey on the grounds of a ‘terrorist threat’. Ankara responded with retaliation and issued a travel warning against these countries. In the statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attention was drawn to ‘anti-foreign and racist attacks’ and ‘religious intolerance’.
.