News / Turkey

Turkey arrests dozens of on-duty soldiers over affiliation to Gulen movement

Friday, 09 November 2018 6:21 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 09 November 2018 7:28 PM ]

Turkish paramilitary police and army officers escort the alleged instigators of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt before their trial at a courthouse on the outskirts of Ankara, Turkey, on May 22, 2017. (Photo by the Associated Press)

Turkish security forces have arrested at least 74 on-duty soldiers on suspicion of affiliation to a movement led by US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Ankara government accuses of having masterminded the July 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Judicial sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspects were detained in 32 provinces across Turkey on Friday.

The sources added that the arrests came after Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for 103 suspects, including colonels, lieutenant colonels and commanders. The search for others is underway.

During the 2016 botched putsch, a faction of the Turkish military declared that it had seized control of the country and the government of Erdogan was no more in charge. The attempt was, however, suppressed a few hours later.

Ankara has since accused Gulen of having orchestrated the coup. The opposition figure is also accused of being behind a long-running campaign to topple the government via infiltrating the country’s institutions, particularly the army, police and the judiciary.

Gulen has denounced the “despicable putsch” and reiterated that he had no role in it.

“Accusations against me related to the coup attempt are baseless and politically-motivated slanders,” he said in a statement.

In this file picture, Turkish cleric and opposition figure Fethullah Gulen speaks to members of the media at his residence in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, the United States. (Photo by Reuters)

The 77-year-old cleric has also called on Ankara to end its “witch hunt” of his followers, a move he says is aimed at “weeding out anyone it deems disloyal to President Erdogan and his regime.”

Turkish officials have frequently called on their US counterparts to extradite Gulen, but their demands have not been taken heed of.

Turkey has been engaged in suppressing the media and opposition groups suspected to have played a role in the failed coup.

Tens of thousands of people have been arrested in Turkey on suspicion of having links to Gulen and the failed coup. More than 110,000 others, including military staff, civil servants and journalists, have been sacked or suspended from work over the same accusations.

The international community and rights groups have been highly critical of the Turkish president over the massive dismissals and the crackdown.

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Istanbul Turkey US Recep Tayyip Erdogan Middle East Gulen Turkish police crackdown opposition commander Fethullah Gulen arrest warrant Erdogan coup d’état colonel