France Closes Embassy, Consulate General In Turkey Over Security Threat
MEP: France has shut its embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara, and the Consulate General in Turkey’s biggest city, Istanbul on the eve of the July 14th Bastille Day celebrations, after receiving intelligence of a “serious” threat.
The French Consulate General in Istanbul had been due to hold a reception on Wednesday evening to mark National Day, while French missions in Ankara and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir had planned events for Thursday.
“The Embassy and the Consulate General will be closed from Wednesday July 13, 1pm, until further notice,” the embassy said in a statement.
Turkey faces multiple security threats, including from Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) militants, blamed for a triple suicide bombing at Istanbul’s main airport two weeks ago which killed 45 people and wounded hundreds.
