TURKEY has submitted documents to the Czech authorities formally requesting the extradition former Kurdish leader Salih Muslim, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said today.

The former co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) was detained in Prague on Saturday under an Interpol “red notice” based on a Turkish request for his arrest.

Turkey considers the PYD a terrorist group linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Mr Muslim was put on Turkey’s most-wanted list earlier this month with a $1 million reward.

Since he stepped down as PYD co-chair last year he has been foreign relations spokesman for the Tev-Dem coalition, holding meetings with European parliamentarians regarding Operation Olive Branch, Turkey's deadly assault on Afrin, which has killed more than 200 civilians and maimed and injured many more.

He was in Prague for a conference when, it is alleged, Turkish security services circulated photographs of Mr Muslim and demanded his arrest.

He is expected to appear before a court in Prague tomorrow to decide if he will remain in detention, Turkish ambassador in Prague Ahmet Necati Bigali told Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency.