Erdogan Rival Accuses Russia of ‘Deep Faux’ Marketing campaign Forward of Presidential Vote

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the principle election rival of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, issued a warning to Russia, accusing it of duty for the discharge of faux materials on social media forward of Sunday’s poll.

Kilicdaroglu, who has a slight lead over long-time chief Erdogan in line with opinion polls, didn’t specify to which materials he referred.

A 3rd presidential candidate, Muharrem Ince, withdrew from the race on Thursday citing a faked “character assassination” carried out on-line. He gave few particulars.

Kilicdaroglu accused Turkey’s “Russian pals” of duty for “the discharge on this nation yesterday of montages, plots, deep pretend content material…

“If you wish to proceed our friendship after Could 15, withdraw your hand from the Turkish state. We’re nonetheless in favour of cooperation and friendship,” he mentioned on Twitter on Thursday night in each Turkish and Russian.

There was no fast remark from Russian officers.

Moscow and Ankara have shut ties and Russia is Turkey’s largest provider of power. President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan maintain frequent talks on points starting from power to the wars in Ukraine and Syria.

Within the tense marketing campaign forward of the Could 14 presidential and parliamentary votes, political figures from each the Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu camps have complained about on-line accusations, together with the posting of movies and pictures.

(Reporting by Daren Butler; Enhancing by Jonathan Spicer and John Stonestreet)

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