"Turkey took several steps and will continue doing so for extradition of the FETO leader [Fetullah Gulen] in Pennsylvania," Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters at the Istanbul Airport before departing for Washington for official talks with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people were killed and some 2,200 injured.

Turkey accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

Erdoğan said Turkey would prove with documents that the U.S. meeting with YPG/PKK leader Ferhat Abdi Sahin is wrong, and added: "Turkey wants to start a new period with the U.S. on the issues pertaining to security of both countries."

The Turkish president's visit came after an Oct. 17 deal with the U.S. under which YPG/PKK terrorists were to withdraw from Turkey’s anti-terrorist Operation Peace Spring region in northern Syria.

Turkey has complained that the YPG/PKK terrorists -- sometimes allies of the U.S., ostensibly to fight ISIS -- did not leave the area, and continue to launch attacks.

The U.S. partnership with YPG ignores evidence supplied by Turkey that the YPG is in fact part of the PKK, which the U.S. does recognize as a terror group.

ILKHA