May to visit Turkey after hundreds killed in terror attacks

Theresa May is expected to visit Turkey later this month for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Prime Minister will make the brief trip in the wake of a wave of terror attacks in which hundreds of people have died.

Mrs May wrote to Mr Erdogan after the New Year attack on an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people, vowing to help Turkey defeat terrorism.

The country has faced a spree of atrocities carried out by the Islamic State (IS) terror group, as well as Kurdish separatists since 2015.

Turkey's long and porous border saw it become a destination for extremists wanting to cross into Syria.

Mrs May's trip, which is also set to include meetings with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, is likely to focus on continuing international efforts to defeat IS.

It follows a visit by Boris Johnson last September which saw the Foreign Secretary engage in a charm offensive to make amends for a rude poem he had penned about President Erdogan.

Mr Johnson sparked controversy by using a satirical limerick to describe the head of state as a ''wankerer'' who had sex with a goat.

Mr Erdogan's grip on power was strengthened when he outmanoeuvred an attempted coup last summer.

He went on to announce a state of emergency that allowed him to bypass rules when introducing new laws as well as restrict and suspend rights and freedoms.