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After anti-Turkey protests in Sweden, Erdogan issues warning to travelers

After anti-Turkey protests in Sweden, Erdogan issues warning to travelers

Turkey has warned its citizens living in or planning to go to European countries, citing Islamophobia and anti-Turkish demonstrations.

The warning comes after last weekend's protests in Sweden, where an anti-Islam activist burned the Koran and pro-Kurdish groups protested against Turkey, AP reports .

The Turkish Foreign Ministry called on its citizens to take precautions and stay away from demonstration areas. According to the ministry, citizens should go to local authorities if they face xenophobic or racist attacks.

Turkey strongly condemned the burning of the Koran in Stockholm by far-right activist Rasmus Paludan, which he repeated in Copenhagen on Friday. Ankara also summoned the Dutch ambassador after another far-right activist tore pages of the Koran in The Hague.

The Turkish government also said there was an increase in anti-Turkish protests by "groups with links to terrorist groups" — a reference to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency against Turkey.

Pro-Kurdish groups have demonstrated in Sweden, waving the flags of the PKK and its members. The protests are a response to Sweden and Finland's pledge to prevent PKK activities in their countries in order to win Turkey's approval of their NATO bids.

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