US general denies link to Turkey’s military coup interference

US: The commander of US forces in the Middle East, General Joseph Votel, on Friday denied claims by the Turkish government that the US army supported the failed coup attempt in Turkey on Friday July 15 following accusations by the country's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In a statement from US Central Command on Friday, Votel said;

"Any reporting that I had anything to do with the recent unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey is unfortunate and completely inaccurate,"

“Turkey has been an extraordinary and vital partner in the region for many years. We appreciate Turkey’s continuing cooperation and look forward to our future partnership in the counter-ISIL fight,” Votel said, referring to the Islamic State group.

Erdogan had on Friday accused Votel of being on the side of Turkey’s coup plotters after he said that the country’s unrest could affect Turkey's military cooperation with Washington.
Speaking at a military center in Golbasi near Ankara where air strikes left dozens dead during the failedcoup on July 15, Erdogan said;

“You are taking the side of coup plotters instead of thanking this state for defeating the coup attempt.”

Since the failed coup attempt, Turkey has undertaken purges of its military and other state institutions targeting the supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who it accused of masterminding the coup attempt.

According to US based media reports, Votel had said the coup attempt and the following crackdown of dozens of generals could affect the US's military cooperation with Turkey.
Specifically, Votel reportedly implied that the US had lost key Turkish military negotiators who were now in detention and accused of taking part in the failed coup.

“Know your place!” Erdogan told Votel, using one of his favorite expressions of anger.

“The coup plotter is already in your country, you are already feeding him,” he said in reference to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Turkey is a key member of the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State jihadists in Syria, with its Incirlik air base used as a launch point for against terror the group in Iraq and Syria.

 "Turkey has been an extraordinary and vital partner in the region for many years," Votel said in his statement. "We appreciate Turkey's continuing cooperation and look forward to our future partnership in the counter-ISIL fight."