Turkey and U.S. have mutually suspended visa services

Almaty. October 9. Silkroadnews - Ankara said that its embassy in the U.S. suspends issuing visas in response to retaliation for the latest decision by the U.S. State Department against Turkey, the Kyrgyz Telegraph Agency (KyrTAG) reports with reference to RBC.
A few hours after the U.S. Embassy in Turkey announced suspension of non-immigrant visas services, a mirror response followed from the Turkish embassy to the United States.
The statement published on the embassy’s website says the Turkish diplomatic mission has suspended the provision of visa services to the U.S. citizens.
The statement effectively mirrors the one released by the U.S. embassy in Turkey.
Both statements begin with the words “recent events have forced … government to reassess the commitment of the Government of the … to the security of … Mission facilities and personnel.” Then comes the phrase: “In order to minimize the number of visitors to our Embassy and Consulates while this assessment proceeds, effective immediately we have suspended all non-immigrant visa service at all … diplomatic facilities in …”.
Such exchange of sanctions followed arrest of Metin Topuz, who worked at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, by the Turkish authorities a few days earlier. He was accused of spying and violating the constitution. The authorities suggest Topuz was connected to the organization of the oppositional Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen staying behind the failed coup attempt in July 2016.