US hails Turkey for investigating terror plots

By Muhammed Bilal Kenasari

WASHINGTON

The State Department thanked the Turkish government and security forces Tuesday for investigating terror plots targeting the U.S. embassy in Ankara.

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at a press briefing that the embassy was closed for two days due to a security threat and would reopen Wednesday.

"I just want to make sure that we thank the government of Turkey, the police and also the security services for facilitating this investigation," Nauert said.

Responding to a question on the detaining of suspects during the investigation process, Nauert said "if it helps thwart something that could have happened, we would certainly thank them for that".

On March 5, Turkish police foiled a planned Daesh terror act against the U.S. embassy in Ankara, arresting suspects in the capital city and in Samsun, a Black Sea province.

In 2015 and 2016, several terror attacks were carried out in the Turkish capital by the PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorist groups that claimed innocent lives and injured many others. There were no incidents in the capital last year.