Turkish foundation takes over FETO school in Ethiopia

ANKARA

A school linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) was handed over to the Turkish public education body in Ethiopia on Wednesday.

Turkey's Maarif Foundation took over the school from the FETO terror group behind the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, in the eastern Harar province of Ethiopia.

The school provides all levels of education from kindergarten to high school and was established under the name so-called Rainbow Association.

"We hope that the school will be helpful for Ethiopia and the people of Harar," Cihad Demirli, member of the Board of Trustees of the Maarif Foundation, told Anadolu Agency.

Demirli added that the school would facilitate the peoples of Turkey and Ethiopia getting to know each other better.

He expressed pleasure at having taken over the school after efforts lasting two years.

Demirli said the group was working on taking over other FETO-linked schools across Ethiopia.

After the defeated coup, Turkey established the Maarif Foundation to assume the administration of overseas schools linked to FETO. It also establishes schools and education centers abroad.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the coup which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

FETO has a considerable presence abroad, including private schools which serve as a revenue stream for the terror group.

*Writing by Burak Bir