Germany closes consulate in Istanbul over threat of attack
The German foreign ministry said its consulate in Istanbul would be closed on Wednesday due to a heightened threat of attack in Turkey’s biggest city.
Germany warned its citizens in Istanbul that the risk of attack was particularly high in the central district of Beyoğlu and around the heavily trafficked Taksim Square.
The ministry said the move to close the consulate followed “the assessment of the security authorities’’ and urged citizens to be especially vigilant and avoid crowds.
Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the United States, already warned their nationals last week of an increased risk of attack in Turkey.
The U.S. tightened its warning on Monday to specify Istanbul. Turkey, in turn, had warned its citizens of attacks in Europe and the U.S.
Tensions between Turkey and some European countries have flared over protests Ankara considers Islamophobic or anti-Turkish.
Most recently, the right-wing extremist Danish-Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan set a Koran on fire in front of a mosque in Stockholm. He threatened to do it every week until Turkey approved Sweden’s accession to NATO.
In recent weeks, several similar actions across Europe have sparked outrage in Turkey.
Those included an effigy of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan being strung up in Stockholm and Koran’s pages torn up in the Netherlands.
Sweden, along with Finland, wants to join NATO as a result of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
All 30 current NATO members must agree to this.
Turkey and Hungary have not said yes.
(dpa/NAN)
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