15 February 2019•Update: 15 February 2019
By Can Erozden
ANKARA
Zambia's top envoy to Turkey said Zambia has stood in solidarity with Turkey after the defeated coup of July 15, 2016.
"Especially, my country is in solidarity (with Turkey) and the democracy of Turkey was almost disturbed (due to the 2016 defeated coup). Please accept our solidarity over the 2016 attempted coup and thank you for having defended democracy," Joseph Chilengi told Anadolu Agency during his visit to the agency headquarters in the capital Ankara.
"If it succeeded, you would have serious global consequences. So we will support you in all measures ensuring that such [FETO] elements and traitors of negative attitude don't find any haven in Zambia. If it so happens, we have sufficient mechanism. We have to ensure that this is stopped," he said, adding that Zambia was on Turkey's side in the fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup.
"Zambia supports Turkey's direction in the fight against the international terrorism and we are in solidarity with the role that Turkey is playing and the direction that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is taking, which contributes to the enhancement of peace and security in the world," Chilengi said.
He added that Zambia has and will cooperate with Turkey to enhance Zambian and Turkish capacities in the fight against terrorism.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police judiciary.
FETO has a considerable presence outside Turkey, including private educational institutions that serve as a revenue stream for the terror group.
In January, French daily Le Monde reported that Turkey has drained networks in Africa since 2016 defeated coup.
Chilengi on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to Anadolu Agency.
Mustafa Ozkaya, Anadolu Agency's deputy director-general, hosted Chilengi at Anadolu Agency as the two agreed to ink a cooperation agreement between Anadolu Agency and the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS).
