US delete charges protectors Erdogan

washington - Federal prosecutors in the US have decided to dismiss the charges against eleven of the fifteen security guards of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The members of the security team were charged with a street fight in May 2017 near the Turkish embassy in Washington.

The charges for the use of force against the other four members of Erdogan's security team remain. The prosecutor's office refused to elaborate on the reasons for dropping the charges against most of the security guards.

The incident on 16 May between Turkish security personnel and protesters, who protested against the Erdogan government, put considerable pressure on relations between Turkey and the United States. Eleven people were injured in the skirmishes.

Turkey blamed the brawl outside at the ambassador's residence to protesters who would have ties with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The police commissioner in Washington spoke of a 'brutal attack' on peaceful demonstrators.