The Netherlands has pulled one if its diplomats out of Turkey on Monday after Turkish media reported that the consulate employee was exposed during spying activities.
The Dutch foreign ministry said the diplomat, who worked at the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, left Turkey out of concerns for his safety.
"For his own safety - due to the publicity - the official in question left Turkey on Monday. He worked at the Dutch Consulate General in Istanbul, and was also responsible for regional activities," the ministry said in a statement.
A Turkish official told Al Jazeera that the diplomat was exposed by the Turkish intelligence agency, MIT, while he was engaged in intelligence activities.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said that the diplomat was working to gather information on Turkey's military operation in the northwestern Syrian region of Afrin.
"The Turkish authorities did not make a diplomatic move to deport the Dutch diplomat after the evidence was gathered and allowed him to leave the country," he said.
Several private Turkish media networks have been running footage, allegedly showing the diplomat during meetings with sources in Istanbul.
contacted the Dutch authorities for comment but did not get a reaction on the spying claims at the time of publication.