Czech authorities have halted the extradition proceedings of Salih Muslum, the former co-chair of the terrorist PKK's Syrian offshoot Democratic Union Party (PYD), a state attorney's office said yesterday.

Muslum was briefly detained in February after Turkey issued a red notice against him. His release from detention, following a Feb. 27 court order, caused a diplomatic row between Prague and Ankara, which accuses Muslum of aggravated murder and disrupting the Turkish state.

On his release, the former PYD leader pledged to remain in European Union territory and cooperate in further proceedings. The new decision meant that the Czech authorities have closed the case.

"The state attorney has halted the proceedings because the person is not within Czech Republic's territory and thus the extradition process cannot continue," said spokeswoman Stepanka Zenklova.

Muslum's lawyer Miroslav Krutina said the decision also meant his client was no longer bound by a pledge to remain in the EU.