Turkey’s Maarif Foundation opened an education center in Afghanistan’s northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
Turkey’s Consul General to Mazar-i-Sharif Şevki Seçkin Alpay, Maarif Foundation board member Ahmet Türkben, TİKA Fazıl Akın Erdoğan and Afghan officials attended the opening ceremony of the center.
Speaking at the ceremony, Balkh Governorate Deputy Bashir Tavhidi said that there is a bond of brotherhood between Turkey and Afghanistan.
Underlining that there are many investments Turkey has made in the country, Tavhidi said that the most important ones include investments in education.
Türkben said that the education center opened by Maarif in Afghanistan aims to increase the academic success and capacity of students studying outside the Maarif schools.
The Maarif Foundation establishes schools and education centers abroad and was established by Turkey in 2016, after a deadly coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ). The defeated coup of July 15, 2016, left 251 people dead and nearly 2,200 injured.
The foundation has since taken over the administration of overseas schools linked to FETÖ.
FETÖ was also behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
The terror group has a considerable presence abroad, including private and charter schools which serve as a revenue stream for the terror group.