Turkey lifts sanctions on US officials matching Washington's move

The US removed Turkey's Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu from the Global Magnitsky Act sanctions list, according to the Treasury Department website. The sanctions were over the detention of an American pastor.

Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu (L) and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul
TRTWorld

Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu (L) and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul

Turkey on Friday lifted sanctions on the US secretary of Homeland Security and attorney general, the foreign ministry said, minutes after Washington removed two Turkish ministers from its sanctions list.

The ministry said in a statement the sanctions on Kirstjen Nielsen and Jeff Sessions, which include a travel ban into the country and freezing of assets in Turkey, had been lifted in response to the US move.

TRT World's Hasan Abdullah reports. 

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Earlier, the United States on Friday removed two top Turkish officials from the Global Magnitsky Act sanctions list, according to the Treasury Department website.

The United States had imposed sanctions on the officials, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, in August over Turkey's imprisonment of American pastor Andrew Brunson. 

Brunson was released in October and has since returned to the United States.

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