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2 more Turkish servicemen seek asylum in Greece

Xinhua, February 24, 2017 Adjust font size:

Two more Turkish servicemen fled to Greece a few days ago and applied for asylum, Greek national news agency AMNA reported on Thursday.

The two officers appeared at a police station in the northern city of Orestiada on Feb. 15 submitting an asylum request, according to the report.

The new requests came as tensions in bilateral ties between Turkey and Greece have spiked in recent months following the failed coup attempt in Turkey in July 2016.

No official statement has been released by Greek authorities yet on the case.

According to AMNA, Turkish sources said the two men may have been involved in the assassination bid against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15.

According to Greek Public Order ministry sources, Turkey has not requested their extradition so far.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, Greek officials said that Greece did not intend to become a theater of confrontation between the Turkish government and its critics.

Eight officers had fled to the northern city of Alexandroupolis a day after the failed coup attempt and sought asylum in Greece last July, triggering a diplomatic and judicial marathon which ended this January.

The ruling of Greece's Supreme Court against the officers' extradition to Ankara to stand trial for their alleged role in the failed coup attempt, citing concern over possible violation of their human rights, did not receive a welcome from Turkey.

The eight have insisted on their innocence and stressed they feared for their safety. Endit