2 German reporters refused accreditation by Turkey Two German media outlets say Turkish authorities have refused to renew their correspondents' accreditation, without giving reasons

BERLIN -- Two German media outlets say Turkish authorities have refused to renew their correspondents' accreditation, without giving reasons. The German government has protested to Turkey.

Public broadcaster ZDF said Friday the head of its Istanbul studio, Joerg Brase, had his application rejected. Berlin-based daily Tagesspiegel said correspondent Thomas Seibert, who has worked for it in Turkey since 1997, was told his accreditation was being withdrawn. Both planned to appeal.

Germany's foreign ministry called the Turkish decision "incomprehensible."

Andreas Michaelis, a deputy foreign minister, protested it in a phone call with the Turkish ambassador and called for its reversal.

Turkish-German relations have often been tense in recent years, notably over Turkey's detention of several German nationals — including, for a time, two journalists — amid a clampdown following a failed 2016 coup.