Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the United States and Britain on Thursday to drop what he said were "exaggerated" new aviation restrictions imposed on flights from some airports, including Istanbul. Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu also criticized the two countries for not consulting with Turkey before deciding on the ban. Muftuoglu said taking measures "against people that pose a threat instead of punishing normal passengers would be more effective." The spokesman also claimed Istanbul's Ataturk Airport was one of the safest in the world. More than 40 people were killed last year in an attack on that airport, which was blamed on the Islamic State group.

Source: ABC News March 23, 2017 19:41 UTC