Cambodia says awaiting request to shutter Gulen schools

PHNOM PENH

Cambodia says it is awaiting any formal request to close down several local schools after Turkey's ambassador to the country accused them of affiliation with a network Ankara sees as responsible for an attempted military coup.

Ambassador Ilhan Kemal Tug has said that the Zaman schools in the Southeast Asian country's capital Phnom Penh are affiliated with a “terrorist organization” that was involved in Friday's bloody effort to overthrow the elected government in Turkey.

On Tuesday, Chum Sounry, a spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Anadolu Agency that the government would have no stance on the matter until it was formally brought to their attention.

“Up until now, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not received any formal request,” he said. “When we receive it, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will give [it] due consideration.”

In a Monday press conference, Ambassador Tug said that the Turkish government was seeking to have the network -- which he said was affiliated with the global network of Fetullah Gulen -- shut down.

Gulen has been accused of pursuing a long-running campaign to overthrow the government through supporters within the Turkish state, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

“We have been in close contact with the Cambodian government and also members of the parliament regarding the Zaman schools in Cambodia, and we have requested all kinds of support be halted, and of course we would also like to see this Zaman group in Cambodia and all its activities end in the near future,” Ambassador Tug said, according to a video of his remarks circulated online by the Turkish Embassy.

“We are in very close cooperation with the Cambodian government, and as in all spheres of cooperation, I am sure the Cambodian government will also be on board with this,” he added.

“I hope this latest coup attempt will make everyone understand the true nature of this terrorist organization."

There are three Zaman school campuses in Cambodia as well as a university serving more than 2,000 students, according to The Cambodia Daily.

Friday's coup saw rogue elements of the Turkish military try to overthrow the country's democratically elected government.

Military tanks, gunship helicopters and warplanes took to the streets and airspaces of Istanbul and Ankara announcing that the army had seized control of the country.

At least 240 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were martyred in Istanbul and Ankara and nearly 1,500 others wounded as they protested.

On Tuesday, Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim confirmed an official request had been sent to the U.S. for Gulen's extradition.