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Switzerland closes embassy in Turkey over terror alarm

Turkey
Several other European embassies have shut their doors over security concerns in Turkey. Keystone / Erdem Sahin

The Swiss government has temporarily closed its embassy and consulate in Turkey over concerns of a terrorist attack.

On Wednesday the foreign ministry confirmed reports in the Swiss daily Blick that the Swiss embassy in Ankara and the consulate general in Istanbul had been closed to the public until further notice.

The reason was “tangible information about an imminent terrorist attack”, the foreign ministry told Swiss public television, SRF. The ministry and its local representatives are in contact with the Turkish authorities and partner countries to assess the situation.

Several other governments including those from Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom announced they were also shutting their representative offices in the country over security concerns. The concerns follow protests that erupted in several countries after a far-right politician from Sweden set the Koran on fire in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.

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