Erdoğan warns South Africa against FETÖ threat

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday warned South Africa against the threat posed by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

“We must be vigilant against this organization whose main goal is to pit a brother against brother,” Erdoğan said, addressing Muslim community leaders during a visit to Johannesburg where he is attending the BRICS Summit.

Erdoğan called terrorist organizations present in Turkey such as FETÖ and PKK “nests of evil” that slaughter their brothers.

He also said that South Africa is only second to the U.S. among countries where FETÖ is most active.

“We are aware that FETÖ is trying to attract Muslims in South Africa, especially through educational institutions....The enemies of Islam controlled FETÖ that used incentives such as education, charity, dialogue to infiltrate for 40 years” Erdoğan added.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

FETÖ is reportedly present in more than 150 countries around the world, through schools, NGOs, lobbyists, media outlets, and other companies.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.