Turkish prime minister recovering from second operation

Feb 11, 2012, 14:03 GMT

Istanbul - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has undergone a second surgical procedure on his digestive system, his office announced Saturday.

The statement confirmed only that Erdogan had undergone a 30-minute procedure as a final follow up to surgery conducted on November 26.

'The prime minister is completely well and will resume his normal work load over the next week,' it said, but gave no details on when or where the operation had taken place.

Turkish media reported that the operation was done Friday in a hospital in Istanbul.

In late November, Erdogan's office confirmed press reports that he had undergone a successful bowel operation. In a TV interview in January, he denied that he was suffering from colorectal cancer, and said the operation had successfully removed polyps which could have become cancerous if left untreated.

Arguably the most successful politician since the country transitioned to democracy in the 1950s, Erdogan is currently serving his third term as prime minister, having been re-elected with a clear majority for a second time last year.