Erdogan says Russian envoy's assassin was a FETO member

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said the Turkish off-duty policeman who assassinated the Russian ambassador to Ankara was a member of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO).\

Russian and Turkey both cast the attack as an attempt to ruin ties between the two countries.

"There is no need to make a secret out of the fact he was a member of FETO," Erdogan said at a news conference, two days after Ambassador Andrei Karlov was killed in Ankara.

Ankara blames FETO for the July 15 coup attempt which left hundreds dead and thousands injured. Since the coup attempt, Turkish authorities have increased their efforts to break the network's vast web of control by identifying, investigating and prosecuting suspected members who have infiltrated state institutions including the army, the police force and the judiciary.

But Erdogan said the assassination of Karlov showed Gulen supporters were still present within the security forces. "I have to say this very clearly — this dirty organisation is still within the military, still within the police," he said.

The Turkish president further said that Ankara is and will continue to clear out FETO members from state institutions.