MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the minister, relations between Ankara and Washington are deteriorating due to the latter's refusal to extradite Gulen, who is suspected by the Turkish government of involvement in the recent coup attempt.
On July 15, an attempted coup took place in Turkey, and was suppressed by the following day. Over 240 people were killed during the coup attempt and an estimated 2,000 were wounded. Ankara has accused US-based dissident Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and his followers of having played a key role in the coup. Gulen has denied the accusations.