Close advisor to Erdoğan, who said 'Mahdi will come,' resigns

Duvar English

Adnan Tanrıverdi, a close advisor to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and member of the Presidency's Security and Foreign Policy Committee, has resigned from his post.

"Due to my old age and the smear campaigns that have been gaining momentum, I have requested to be laid off from my post," Tanrıverdi said in an message he sent to colleagues, as reported by the outlet OdaTV.

In his departure statement, Tanrıverdi noted he had consulted with Erdoğan and had received his blessing.

The former advisor had recently raised attention for claiming the Mahdi - a "redeemer" in Islam who is to descend on earth and rule on judgement day - will return.

"The Mahdi will come. We should prepare a suitable environment," Tanrıverdi had said during a conference held by the Islamic think thank Association of Justice Defenders Strategic Studies Center.

Tanrıverdi was also been in the public eye amid Turkey's sending of troops to Libya. A debate arose over whether representatives from SADAT International Defense Consulting, a security contractor founded by Tanrıverdi, would be among the troops deployed by Turkey in Libya.