Egypt expels Turkish envoy, downgrades ties

Egypt announced Saturday it was expelling Turkey’s ambassador, the latest souring of diplomatic ties that began when the Egyptian army ousted Islamist president Mohammad Mursi from power in July.

Ankara said it would reciprocate.

Cairo’s decision to send Ambassador Hussain Avni Botsali home was in reaction to remarks by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday in which he reiterated his criticism of Egyptian authorities for their ongoing crackdown on Mursi’s Islamist backers.

Foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdul Atty told AFP Cairo had decided to “expel the Turkish ambassador and downgrade our ties to the level of charge d’affaires... declare the Turkish ambassador persona non grata and... not send our ambassador to Turkey.”