Australia warns Turkey of terror threat at Gallipoli commemorations

Australia has warned Turkey of a possible terrorist attack being planned to take place at the commemoration of the Battle of Gallipoli in the Turkish city of Canakkale, and has urged its citizens to avoid the risk of travelling there this month.

The warning was revealed after Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan claimed the Australian government received information about the possibility of a terror attack but did not reveal its sources or any further details.

Visitors from both Australia and New Zealand visit every year to commemorate their fallen troops who died in a losing battle after trying to invade the Ottoman Empire, and this year around 500 from both countries are expected to attend.

In 2015 alone, around 15,000 Australians travelled to the site at Gallipoli for the Anzac Day commemoration, and so remains a popular site for visitors vulnerable to a terrorist attack.

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According to a report by the Associated Press, Mike Phelan, Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner, said there was no specific plot causing the alert but refused to give details of what prompted the warning.

Phelan wanted to reassure people that he had every faith in the Turkish authorities:

We have confidence in the Turkish authorities to secure the peninsula and other celebrations in the area.

The Anzac Day commemoration, which is held on 25 April every year, marks the iconic battle between the Ottoman Empire and Allied forces from Britain, Australia, and New Zealand.

With the aim of opening up the Dardanelles straits and conquering Istanbul, the battle proved a victory for the Ottoman Empire and a disaster for the Allies, with the loss of around 58,000 allied soldiers.