Turkey summoned Austria&#39;s charge d&#39;affaires in Ankara late on Saturday over what it said was &quot;indecent report&quot; about Turkey on a news ticker at Vienna airport, a foreign ministry official said. 
 
&quot;Turkey allows sex with children under the age of 15,&quot; read a headline on an electronic news ticker at the airport, images circulated on social media showed. 
 
&quot;Our disturbance and reaction over this display which tarnishes Turkey&#39;s image and deliberately misinforms the public have been strongly conveyed to the charge d&#39;affaires,&quot; the ministry official said, adding that the headline was removed following the ministry&#39;s intervention. 
 
Turkey&#39;s constitutional court last month ruled in favour of removing a provision in the penal code which identifies all sexual acts against children under the age of 15 as &quot;sexual abuse&quot; following an application made by a local court. 
 
Tensions between Turkey and Europe have risen following Ankara&#39;s crackdown in the wake of last month&#39;s failed coup in Turkey. 
 
Turkish authorities have detained, sacked or suspended tens of thousands of people over their alleged links with Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cleric whom the government blames for orchestrating the coup attempt. 
 
&#39;Capital of radical racism&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Last week Turkey&#39;s foreign minister called Austria the &quot;capital of radical racism&quot; after Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern suggested ending EU accession talks with Turkey which have made minimal progress since they began in 2005. 
 
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and many Turks accuse the West of focusing more on the rights of the coup plotters and their supporters than on the coup itself, in which more than 240 people were killed after rogue soldiers bombed parliament and seized bridges with tanks and helicopters. 
 
Halting Turkey&#39;s EU accession process could scupper a landmark migration deal between Brussels and Ankara designed to stop illegal migration to Europe via Turkey in return for financial aid, the promise of visa-free travel to much of the bloc and accelerated talks on membership. 
 
Turkey has lived up to its side of the deal with Brussels but visa-free access has been subject to delays due to a dispute over Turkish anti-terrorism legislation, which some in Europe see as too broad, and to its post-coup crackdown. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

'Turkey allows sex with children under the age of 15,' read an electronic news ticker, images circulated on social media showed

Turkey summoned Austria's charge d'affaires in Ankara late on Saturday over what it said was "indecent report" about Turkey on a news ticker at Vienna airport, a foreign ministry official said. "Turkey allows sex with children under the age of 15," read a headline on an electronic news ticker at the airport, images circulated on social media showed. "Our disturbance and reaction over this display which tarnishes Turkey's image and deliberately misinforms the public have been strongly conveyed to the charge d'affaires," the ministry official said, adding that the headline was removed following the ministry's intervention. Turkey's constitutional court last month ruled in favour of removing a provision in the penal code which identifies all sexual acts against children under the age of 15 as "sexual abuse" following an application made by a local court. Tensions between Turkey and Europe have risen following Ankara's crackdown in the wake of last month's failed coup in Turkey. Turkish authorities have detained, sacked or suspended tens of thousands of people over their alleged links with Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cleric whom the government blames for orchestrating the coup attempt. 'Capital of radical racism' Last week Turkey's foreign minister called Austria the "capital of radical racism" after Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern suggested ending EU accession talks with Turkey which have made minimal progress since they began in 2005. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and many Turks accuse the West of focusing more on the rights of the coup plotters and their supporters than on the coup itself, in which more than 240 people were killed after rogue soldiers bombed parliament and seized bridges with tanks and helicopters. Halting Turkey's EU accession process could scupper a landmark migration deal between Brussels and Ankara designed to stop illegal migration to Europe via Turkey in return for financial aid, the promise of visa-free travel to much of the bloc and accelerated talks on membership. Turkey has lived up to its side of the deal with Brussels but visa-free access has been subject to delays due to a dispute over Turkish anti-terrorism legislation, which some in Europe see as too broad, and to its post-coup crackdown. (Reuters)

Ankara summons Austria envoy over indecent report

Turkey is seeking the extradition of 32 diplomats who went on the run after they were recalled by Ankara as part of investigations into last month&#39;s failed coup attempt, the foreign minister said on Friday. 
 
Turkish authorities have arrested, detained or dismissed tens of thousands of people, including military personnel, civil servants, judges, and teachers, following the July 15 coup bid which President Tayyip Erdogan has blamed on a network led by a US-based cleric. 
 
The purge is worrying Western allies concerned about stability in the NATO member and partner in the fight against Islamic State. But Turkish officials are angered over a perceived lack of sympathy by Western officials, who they say are more worried about the crackdown than the coup itself. 
 
Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking at a news conference in Ankara with his Iranian counterpart, said a total of 208 Turkish diplomats had been recalled as part of the coup investigation, but 32 of them had fled to other countries. 
 
&quot;We have been in contact with the countries where they fled and are working on their extradition,&quot; he said. 
 
Three military attaches have also gone on the run, including two who fled from Greece to Italy, and another who fled Bosnia, the minister said, without specifying where the third attache had gone. 
 
Two Turkish generals based in Afghanistan who travelled to Dubai and another attache who was working in Saudi Arabia have all already been sent back to Turkey. 
 
The extradition moves expand a domestic purge that authorities say targets a &quot;parallel state&quot; set up by followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating the coup plot.&nbsp;Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, denies any part in the putsch. 
 
&quot;If a tenth of accusations against me are established, I pledge to return to Turkey and serve the heaviest sentence,&quot; Gulen said in an opinion piece in French daily Le Monde on Friday. 
 
&#39;Positive signals&#39; 
 
Erdogan demands the cleric be extradited to Turkey, saying Washington must choose between Turkey and Gulen, in a case that has strained Ankara&#39;s relations with Washington.&nbsp;American officials have said they need to see clear evidence of Gulen&#39;s involvement in the coup plot. 
 
Cavusoglu said Turkey had sent documents to the United States and had received positive signals about the case, without giving any details. He said a US Department of Justice team would visit Turkey later this month. 
 
&quot;Everything is out in the open. We have an extradition agreement,&quot; he said. &quot;The whole world knows who is behind the coup attempt. Our expectation for the US to extradite Gulen as soon as possible.&quot; 
 
Erdogan says the armed forces have been infiltrated in recent years by Gulen&#39;s supporters.&nbsp;The president has vowed to restructure the military after the coup attempt, during which soldiers used jets, military helicopters and tanks to attack government institutions including parliament and the intelligence agency. 
 
Despite the purge of the military, including nearly half of the country&#39;s generals, defence minister Fikri Isik said on Friday that Turkey&#39;s role in the US-led coalition against Islamic State would continue without interruption. 
 
Turkey, which has NATO&#39;s second-largest military, allows the United States to use the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey to launch attacks against Islamic State militants.&nbsp;Isik said a decree would soon be ready to order the recruitment of new air force pilots following the purge. 
 
&quot;Our priority in this decree is the 265 pilots who have been dismissed. We have enough pilots in the Turkish Air Force in the case of an emergency, but we are below the necessary number,&quot; Isik said of the decree. 
 
The ruling AK Party founded by Erdogan has long had testy relations with the military, which for decades saw itself as the guardian of Turkey&#39;s secular order and the legacy of the nation&#39;s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The military has ousted four governments in the past 60 years. 
 
(Reuters)

A total of 208 Turkish diplomats had been recalled as part of the coup investigation, but 32 of them had fled the country

Turkey is seeking the extradition of 32 diplomats who went on the run after they were recalled by Ankara as part of investigations into last month's failed coup attempt, the foreign minister said on Friday. Turkish authorities have arrested, detained or dismissed tens of thousands of people, including military personnel, civil servants, judges, and teachers, following the July 15 coup bid which President Tayyip Erdogan has blamed on a network led by a US-based cleric. The purge is worrying Western allies concerned about stability in the NATO member and partner in the fight against Islamic State. But Turkish officials are angered over a perceived lack of sympathy by Western officials, who they say are more worried about the crackdown than the coup itself. Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking at a news conference in Ankara with his Iranian counterpart, said a total of 208 Turkish diplomats had been recalled as part of the coup investigation, but 32 of them had fled to other countries. "We have been in contact with the countries where they fled and are working on their extradition," he said. Three military attaches have also gone on the run, including two who fled from Greece to Italy, and another who fled Bosnia, the minister said, without specifying where the third attache had gone. Two Turkish generals based in Afghanistan who travelled to Dubai and another attache who was working in Saudi Arabia have all already been sent back to Turkey. The extradition moves expand a domestic purge that authorities say targets a "parallel state" set up by followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating the coup plot. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, denies any part in the putsch. "If a tenth of accusations against me are established, I pledge to return to Turkey and serve the heaviest sentence," Gulen said in an opinion piece in French daily Le Monde on Friday. 'Positive signals' Erdogan demands the cleric be extradited to Turkey, saying Washington must choose between Turkey and Gulen, in a case that has strained Ankara's relations with Washington. American officials have said they need to see clear evidence of Gulen's involvement in the coup plot. Cavusoglu said Turkey had sent documents to the United States and had received positive signals about the case, without giving any details. He said a US Department of Justice team would visit Turkey later this month. "Everything is out in the open. We have an extradition agreement," he said. "The whole world knows who is behind the coup attempt. Our expectation for the US to extradite Gulen as soon as possible." Erdogan says the armed forces have been infiltrated in recent years by Gulen's supporters. The president has vowed to restructure the military after the coup attempt, during which soldiers used jets, military helicopters and tanks to attack government institutions including parliament and the intelligence agency. Despite the purge of the military, including nearly half of the country's generals, defence minister Fikri Isik said on Friday that Turkey's role in the US-led coalition against Islamic State would continue without interruption. Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest military, allows the United States to use the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey to launch attacks against Islamic State militants. Isik said a decree would soon be ready to order the recruitment of new air force pilots following the purge. "Our priority in this decree is the 265 pilots who have been dismissed. We have enough pilots in the Turkish Air Force in the case of an emergency, but we are below the necessary number," Isik said of the decree. The ruling AK Party founded by Erdogan has long had testy relations with the military, which for decades saw itself as the guardian of Turkey's secular order and the legacy of the nation's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The military has ousted four governments in the past 60 years. (Reuters)

Turkey seeks extradition for 32 diplomats in post-coup inquiry

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on the United States on Wednesday, to extradite US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom he accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt against his rule - a claim the 75-year-old cleric denies. 
 
Addressing thousands of people gathered outside the presidential palace in Ankara, Erdogan said that Washington needed to make a choice. 
 
&quot;Sooner or later, the United States will make a choice. Either Turkey or FETO. They will either choose the putschist terrorist FETO or Turkey, the democratic country. They need to make a choice. We sent 85 boxes of files,&quot; he said, using an abbreviation standing for the &quot;Gulenist Terror Group&quot; which is how Ankara refers to Gulen&#39;s movement. 
 
The speech was billed as the culmination of nightly rallies in cities across Turkey to show solidarity since the attempted coup. 
 
Referring to bomb attacks and cross-border fire that killed 13 in southeast Turkey on Wednesday, Erdogan said that the country was facing multiple threats. 
&quot;We have again martyrs in Sirnak province. There were explosions in Mardin and Diyarbakir. When FETO leaves, PKK takes over the duty of treachery. When PKK leaves, Daesh (Arabic acronym for the Islamic State) takes over,&quot; he said. 
Turkey is dealing with the aftermath of a failed coup attempt on July 15, which killed more than 240 people and wounded 2,200. 
 
More than 60,000 people, including many in the military and police, have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since the coup attempt, in which rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and warplanes to try to take power. 
 
The PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984 and more than 40,000 people, mainly Kurds, have died in the violence. 
 
(Reuters)

He spoke of the threats Turkey is facing, referring to the recent bomb attacks and cross-border firing that killed 13 in southeast Turkey

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on the United States on Wednesday, to extradite US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom he accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt against his rule - a claim the 75-year-old cleric denies. Addressing thousands of people gathered outside the presidential palace in Ankara, Erdogan said that Washington needed to make a choice. "Sooner or later, the United States will make a choice. Either Turkey or FETO. They will either choose the putschist terrorist FETO or Turkey, the democratic country. They need to make a choice. We sent 85 boxes of files," he said, using an abbreviation standing for the "Gulenist Terror Group" which is how Ankara refers to Gulen's movement. The speech was billed as the culmination of nightly rallies in cities across Turkey to show solidarity since the attempted coup. Referring to bomb attacks and cross-border fire that killed 13 in southeast Turkey on Wednesday, Erdogan said that the country was facing multiple threats. "We have again martyrs in Sirnak province. There were explosions in Mardin and Diyarbakir. When FETO leaves, PKK takes over the duty of treachery. When PKK leaves, Daesh (Arabic acronym for the Islamic State) takes over," he said. Turkey is dealing with the aftermath of a failed coup attempt on July 15, which killed more than 240 people and wounded 2,200. More than 60,000 people, including many in the military and police, have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since the coup attempt, in which rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and warplanes to try to take power. The PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984 and more than 40,000 people, mainly Kurds, have died in the violence. (Reuters)

Turkish President Erdogan tells US to choose between Gulen and democracy

Turkey&#39;s migration agreement with the European Union may collapse if the EU does not keep its side of the deal on visa waivers, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told France&#39;s Le Monde newspaper. 
 
Erdogan&#39;s comments reflect a shift in stance at a time when he is rebuking Western leaders for their response to the July 15 coup bid. Erdogan vowed to keep Turkey&#39;s promises on the migrant deal as recently as July 26. 
 
&quot;The European Union is not behaving in a sincere manner with Turkey,&quot; Erdogan said in comments published by Le Monde on Monday, noting that the visa waiver for Turkish citizens was supposed to kick in on June 1. 
 
&quot;If our demands are not satisfied then the readmissions will no longer be possible,&quot; Erdogan said. 
 
Ankara agreed in March to stop migrants from crossing into Greece in exchange for financial aid being revived, the promise of visa-free travel to much of the EU and accelerated membership talks. 
 
However, the reciprocal visa-free access has been delayed due to a dispute over Turkish anti-terrorism legislation and concern in the West about the scale of Ankara&#39;s crackdown following a failed coup. 
 
Criticising the response of Washington and European leaders to the attempted putsch, Erdogan said the Turkish people had been abandoned by the West. 
 
&quot;The whole world reacted to the attack against Charlie Hebdo. Our prime minister joined a rally in the streets of Paris,&quot; Erdogan said, referring to the deadly militant attack on the office of the French satirical magazine in January 2015. 
 
&quot;I would have hoped that the leaders of the Western world would have reacted (to the coup attempt) in the same way and not have contented themselves with a few cliches.&quot; 
 
In Berlin on Monday, a spokeswoman for the German foreign ministry repeated that reinstatement of the death penalty in Turkey would end its bid to join the EU. 
 
Erdogan, speaking to German television station ARD last month after the coup attempt, said the Turkish people wanted the death penalty bringing back and those governing the country should listen to them. 
 
(Reuters)

Ankara had agreed to stop migrants from crossing into Greece in exchange for financial aid being revived, and visa-free travel to the EU

Turkey's migration agreement with the European Union may collapse if the EU does not keep its side of the deal on visa waivers, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told France's Le Monde newspaper. Erdogan's comments reflect a shift in stance at a time when he is rebuking Western leaders for their response to the July 15 coup bid. Erdogan vowed to keep Turkey's promises on the migrant deal as recently as July 26. "The European Union is not behaving in a sincere manner with Turkey," Erdogan said in comments published by Le Monde on Monday, noting that the visa waiver for Turkish citizens was supposed to kick in on June 1. "If our demands are not satisfied then the readmissions will no longer be possible," Erdogan said. Ankara agreed in March to stop migrants from crossing into Greece in exchange for financial aid being revived, the promise of visa-free travel to much of the EU and accelerated membership talks. However, the reciprocal visa-free access has been delayed due to a dispute over Turkish anti-terrorism legislation and concern in the West about the scale of Ankara's crackdown following a failed coup. Criticising the response of Washington and European leaders to the attempted putsch, Erdogan said the Turkish people had been abandoned by the West. "The whole world reacted to the attack against Charlie Hebdo. Our prime minister joined a rally in the streets of Paris," Erdogan said, referring to the deadly militant attack on the office of the French satirical magazine in January 2015. "I would have hoped that the leaders of the Western world would have reacted (to the coup attempt) in the same way and not have contented themselves with a few cliches." In Berlin on Monday, a spokeswoman for the German foreign ministry repeated that reinstatement of the death penalty in Turkey would end its bid to join the EU. Erdogan, speaking to German television station ARD last month after the coup attempt, said the Turkish people wanted the death penalty bringing back and those governing the country should listen to them. (Reuters)

Turkey President: Migration agreement with EU may collapse if demands not met

Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cleric, has condemned Turkey&#39;s judicial system after a court issued an arrest warrant accusing him of ordering last month`s bid to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 
 
Gulen in a statement yesterday said the Turkish court system is without judicial independence. 
 
&quot;It is well-documented that the Turkish court system is without judicial independence, so this warrant is yet another example of President Erdogan`s drive for authoritarianism and away from democracy,&quot; the Dawn quoted his statement as saying. 
 
The arrest warrant issued by the court today, accuses Gulen of ordering the July 15 coup. 
 
Gulen strongly denied any involvement in the attempted coup. 
 
&quot;The issuance of an arrest warrant from a Turkish court changes nothing about my status or my views. I have repeatedly condemned the coup attempt in Turkey and denied any knowledge or involvement,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

'This warrant is yet another example of President Erdogan's drive for authoritarianism and away from democracy,' the US-based cleric said

Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cleric, has condemned Turkey's judicial system after a court issued an arrest warrant accusing him of ordering last month`s bid to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Gulen in a statement yesterday said the Turkish court system is without judicial independence. "It is well-documented that the Turkish court system is without judicial independence, so this warrant is yet another example of President Erdogan`s drive for authoritarianism and away from democracy," the Dawn quoted his statement as saying. The arrest warrant issued by the court today, accuses Gulen of ordering the July 15 coup. Gulen strongly denied any involvement in the attempted coup. "The issuance of an arrest warrant from a Turkish court changes nothing about my status or my views. I have repeatedly condemned the coup attempt in Turkey and denied any knowledge or involvement," he added. (ANI)

Gulen condemns Turkey's judicial system, denounces arrest warrant?

Austria&#39;s Chancellor Christian Kern on Wednesday called on the European Union to end membership talks with Turkey in the wake of a massive government crackdown following a failed coup. 
 
Turkey&#39;s longstanding and recently revived bid to join the EU has already been hit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s suggestion that he may reintroduce the death penalty in the wake of the attempted putsch on July 15, a move which will instantly disqualify it from joining the bloc. 
 
&quot;We have to face reality: the membership negotiations are currently no more than fiction,&quot; Kern told Austrian media. 
 
&quot;We know that Turkey&#39;s democratic standards are far from sufficient to justify its accession.&quot; 
 
Kern told public broadcaster ORF that he wants to initiate a debate at a European Council summit on September 16. 
 
The chancellor said Turkey&#39;s economy also remained far below the EU average and well short of membership requirements. 
 
Making Ankara a part of the EU&#39;s single market would spark &quot;massive economic upheaval&quot; in a bloc already struggling to cope with its enlargement toward eastern and central Europe, he warned. 
 
Instead, the EU should seek &quot;new alternatives&quot; to help bring Turkey&#39;s economy closer to European standards. 
 
&quot;(The country) remains an important partner in security and integration matters,&quot; Kern said, highlighting Turkey&#39;s key role in the ongoing migrant crisis. 
 
In March, Turkey and the EU signed a controversial deal in which Ankara agreed to take back Syrian migrants landing on Greek islands in exchange for political and financial incentives. 
 
In addition to visa-free travel, the pact includes billions of Euros in aid and accelerated EU membership talks. 
 
Kern said he did not believe that a halt to accession talks would torpedo the refugee pact. 
 
&quot;Economically, we have the upper hand. Turkey depends on us,&quot; he added. 
 
Earlier this week, Kern said he would not bow to &quot;intimidation&quot; from Turkey after receiving online death threats from &quot;radical&quot; elements of Austria&#39;s sizeable Turkish community. 
 
(AFP)

The appeal comes after President Erdogan stated that he may reintroduce death penalty in Turkey

Austria's Chancellor Christian Kern on Wednesday called on the European Union to end membership talks with Turkey in the wake of a massive government crackdown following a failed coup. Turkey's longstanding and recently revived bid to join the EU has already been hit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's suggestion that he may reintroduce the death penalty in the wake of the attempted putsch on July 15, a move which will instantly disqualify it from joining the bloc. "We have to face reality: the membership negotiations are currently no more than fiction," Kern told Austrian media. "We know that Turkey's democratic standards are far from sufficient to justify its accession." Kern told public broadcaster ORF that he wants to initiate a debate at a European Council summit on September 16. The chancellor said Turkey's economy also remained far below the EU average and well short of membership requirements. Making Ankara a part of the EU's single market would spark "massive economic upheaval" in a bloc already struggling to cope with its enlargement toward eastern and central Europe, he warned. Instead, the EU should seek "new alternatives" to help bring Turkey's economy closer to European standards. "(The country) remains an important partner in security and integration matters," Kern said, highlighting Turkey's key role in the ongoing migrant crisis. In March, Turkey and the EU signed a controversial deal in which Ankara agreed to take back Syrian migrants landing on Greek islands in exchange for political and financial incentives. In addition to visa-free travel, the pact includes billions of Euros in aid and accelerated EU membership talks. Kern said he did not believe that a halt to accession talks would torpedo the refugee pact. "Economically, we have the upper hand. Turkey depends on us," he added. Earlier this week, Kern said he would not bow to "intimidation" from Turkey after receiving online death threats from "radical" elements of Austria's sizeable Turkish community. (AFP)

Austria condemns Turkey's membership in EU, requests to end talks

Turkey today issued arrest warrants for 100 staff, including doctors, at the main military hospital in Ankara as part of an investigation into last month&#39;s failed coup, a Turkish official and reports said. 
 
Police were searching the Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) hospital in the capital, the private NTV television reported.&nbsp;It was not immediately clear if any suspects had been detained. 
 
The Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that detention warrants had been issued without giving any number. 
 
Turkey blames the coup attempt on the organisation of US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of running a group called Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO), charges he denied. 
 
The official said that staff at the hospital were suspected of helping fast-track Gulen supporters into the military by giving them favourable medical reports. 
 
&quot;GATA is crucial because this is where fitness and health reports are issued,&quot; the official said. &quot;There is strong evidence suggesting FETO members infiltrated this institution to slow down the career progress of their rivals within the military and fast-track their supporters.&quot; 
 
Similar claims have also been made about military schools where officials have said exams were rigged. Almost half of Turkey&#39;s generals were fired in the wake of the coup. 
 
Turkey has declared a state of emergency in the wake of the July 15 power grab attempt and launched a crackdown that has seen some 18,000 people detained. 
 
This is believed to be the first time a medical establishment has been targeted in the clampdown, which has also hit journalists and academics. 
 
Under a previous decree, GATA and other military hospitals have been transferred to the control of the health ministry. 
 
(AFP)

The staff at the hospital were suspected of helping fast-track Gulen supporters into the military by giving them favourable medical reports

Turkey today issued arrest warrants for 100 staff, including doctors, at the main military hospital in Ankara as part of an investigation into last month's failed coup, a Turkish official and reports said. Police were searching the Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) hospital in the capital, the private NTV television reported. It was not immediately clear if any suspects had been detained. The Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that detention warrants had been issued without giving any number. Turkey blames the coup attempt on the organisation of US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of running a group called Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO), charges he denied. The official said that staff at the hospital were suspected of helping fast-track Gulen supporters into the military by giving them favourable medical reports. "GATA is crucial because this is where fitness and health reports are issued," the official said. "There is strong evidence suggesting FETO members infiltrated this institution to slow down the career progress of their rivals within the military and fast-track their supporters." Similar claims have also been made about military schools where officials have said exams were rigged. Almost half of Turkey's generals were fired in the wake of the coup. Turkey has declared a state of emergency in the wake of the July 15 power grab attempt and launched a crackdown that has seen some 18,000 people detained. This is believed to be the first time a medical establishment has been targeted in the clampdown, which has also hit journalists and academics. Under a previous decree, GATA and other military hospitals have been transferred to the control of the health ministry. (AFP)

Coup purge: Turkey issues arrest warrants for 100 hospital staff in Ankara

Turkey, a close ally of Pakistan, today hoped that the Kashmir issue would be resolved through dialogue, while backing Islamabad&#39;s stance to send an Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) team to the Valley to probe the alleged human rights violations. 
 
&quot;Turkey fully supports Pakistan&#39;s position on Jammu and Kashmir,&quot; Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a joint press conference here with Pakistan prime minister&#39;s advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz. 
 
Cavusoglu said Turkey is an active member of the OIC contact group of Kashmir and attends its meeting. Hopefully its next meeting would be held in September, he said. 
 
&quot;I would like to ask the secretary general of the OIC to mobilise the contact group and send an observer mission. We believe this issue (Kashmir) can be solved through dialogue,&quot; he said. 
 
Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue at the UN, and demanded sending a fact finding team to the valley to probe the alleged human rights violations there.&nbsp;Forty-nine people have been killed in Kashmir in clashes since security forces killed Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on July 8. 
 
Cavusoglu, who is in Pakistan on an important visit after a failed military coup, thanked Islamabad for being the first country to denounce the coup attempt.&nbsp;He said Turkey was taking steps against those involved in the coup staged by supporters of US-based influential Turkish cleric Fetullah Gulen. 
 
He said Gulen&#39;s organisations pose a risk or threat to the security and stability of every country. 
 
&quot;This terrorist organisation has a global network of schools, business associations and cultural organisations. In the past, we supported them but we didn&#39;t know they had a hidden agenda, that they were trying to take over power in Turkey through such attempts,&quot; he said. 
 
He said that Pakistan and Turkey supported each other against terrorism.&nbsp;On his part, Aziz pledged Pakistan&#39;s unequivocal support for a democratic, peaceful and stable Turkey under the dynamic leadership of President Tayyip Erdogan. 
 
He noted with satisfaction that both sides have agreed to continue to tackle the menace of terrorism and defeat the scourge. The two sides also exchanged views on situation in Afghanistan and the need for a lasting political solution. 
 
Aziz said the two countries share similar views on the migration crisis and the plight of Syrian refugees. He said Pakistan and Turkey host the largest refugee population in the world. 
 
(PTI)

Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu extended his support in a press conference in Islamabad

Turkey, a close ally of Pakistan, today hoped that the Kashmir issue would be resolved through dialogue, while backing Islamabad's stance to send an Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) team to the Valley to probe the alleged human rights violations. "Turkey fully supports Pakistan's position on Jammu and Kashmir," Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a joint press conference here with Pakistan prime minister's advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz. Cavusoglu said Turkey is an active member of the OIC contact group of Kashmir and attends its meeting. Hopefully its next meeting would be held in September, he said. "I would like to ask the secretary general of the OIC to mobilise the contact group and send an observer mission. We believe this issue (Kashmir) can be solved through dialogue," he said. Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue at the UN, and demanded sending a fact finding team to the valley to probe the alleged human rights violations there. Forty-nine people have been killed in Kashmir in clashes since security forces killed Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on July 8. Cavusoglu, who is in Pakistan on an important visit after a failed military coup, thanked Islamabad for being the first country to denounce the coup attempt. He said Turkey was taking steps against those involved in the coup staged by supporters of US-based influential Turkish cleric Fetullah Gulen. He said Gulen's organisations pose a risk or threat to the security and stability of every country. "This terrorist organisation has a global network of schools, business associations and cultural organisations. In the past, we supported them but we didn't know they had a hidden agenda, that they were trying to take over power in Turkey through such attempts," he said. He said that Pakistan and Turkey supported each other against terrorism. On his part, Aziz pledged Pakistan's unequivocal support for a democratic, peaceful and stable Turkey under the dynamic leadership of President Tayyip Erdogan. He noted with satisfaction that both sides have agreed to continue to tackle the menace of terrorism and defeat the scourge. The two sides also exchanged views on situation in Afghanistan and the need for a lasting political solution. Aziz said the two countries share similar views on the migration crisis and the plight of Syrian refugees. He said Pakistan and Turkey host the largest refugee population in the world. (PTI)

Turkey backs Pakistan's stand on Jammu and Kashmir

Turkey has arrested 11 fugitive soldiers suspected of involvement in an attack on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s hotel during the night of the failed coup, the deputy prime minister said today. 
 
Erdogan was staying in the western seaside resort of Marmaris on July 15 but dashed to Istanbul just before the hotel came under attack from rebel soldiers determined to oust him from power. 
 
&quot;Eleven of them were captured in Ula,&quot; Deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus told a press conference after a cabinet meeting, referring to a town near Marmaris. He said one soldier was still at large. 
 
Erdogan earlier said his swift escape had saved him from being killed or taken hostage. An interior ministry official, who declined to be named, described the arrested men as members of a &quot;death squad&quot; and said the overnight operation to catch them followed a tip-off from local villagers. 
 
The soldiers had been hiding in the wild landscape above Marmaris since the military action, and the villagers spotted them while they were out boar-hunting. 
 
&quot;There was an exchange of fire during the operation,&quot; the official added. &quot;Drones and helicopters were used to pinpoint the location.&quot; 
 
Since the coup, Erdogan has launched a massive purge of Turkish institutions, especially the military, with more than 3,000 armed forces personnel dismissed. 
 
(AFP)

Erdogan earlier said his swift escape had saved him from being killed or taken hostage

Turkey has arrested 11 fugitive soldiers suspected of involvement in an attack on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's hotel during the night of the failed coup, the deputy prime minister said today. Erdogan was staying in the western seaside resort of Marmaris on July 15 but dashed to Istanbul just before the hotel came under attack from rebel soldiers determined to oust him from power. "Eleven of them were captured in Ula," Deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus told a press conference after a cabinet meeting, referring to a town near Marmaris. He said one soldier was still at large. Erdogan earlier said his swift escape had saved him from being killed or taken hostage. An interior ministry official, who declined to be named, described the arrested men as members of a "death squad" and said the overnight operation to catch them followed a tip-off from local villagers. The soldiers had been hiding in the wild landscape above Marmaris since the military action, and the villagers spotted them while they were out boar-hunting. "There was an exchange of fire during the operation," the official added. "Drones and helicopters were used to pinpoint the location." Since the coup, Erdogan has launched a massive purge of Turkish institutions, especially the military, with more than 3,000 armed forces personnel dismissed. (AFP)

Turkey failed coup: 11 fugitive soldiers arrested over attack on Erdogan's hotel

Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are planning to rally in the German city of Cologne on Sunday, as tensions over Turkey&#39;s failed coup put authorities on edge. 
 
Since the attempted military power grab on July 15, Erdogan&#39;s government has launched a crackdown on those allegedly linked to the putsch that has seen the detention of almost 19,000 people, sparking international concern. 
 
Erdogan on Saturday signalled plans to tighten his grip through constitutional changes which would bring the Turkish spy agency and the military chief of staff directly under his control. 
 
The political strife in Turkey has also found expression in Germany, which is home to the biggest Turkish diaspora. Up to 30,000 people are expected to answer a call to take to the streets from around 1300 GMT issued by a pro-Erdogan group: The Union of European-Turkish Democrats (UETD), police said. 
 
The North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Cologne is located, is home to about one third of Germany&#39;s three-million strong Turkish community. At the same time, several smaller counter-demonstrations are to take place, including one billed &quot;Stop Erdogan&quot;, and another called by far-right activists, raising fears the demonstrators could clash. 
 
Security services in Germany sought to head-off any potential violence between the different camps, with some 2,700 officers, including several Turkish speakers, deployed to keep the peace. 
 
Cologne&#39;s police chief Juergen Mathies warned: &quot;One thing I want to make clear is that we will intervene against any kind of violence quickly, decisively and forcefully.&quot; 
 
Amid fears that the crowd could be further riled by live screenings of speeches made from Turkey by politicians including Erdogan, Germany&#39;s constitutional court banned an application for such broadcasts. 
 
Nevertheless, Turkey&#39;s sports minister will attend, said Mathies, adding that he had been able to stop the foreign minister from participating. 
 
The tension comes at a time when relations between Germany and Turkey are already strained over the German parliament&#39;s recent decision to brand as genocide the World War I-era Armenian massacre by Ottoman forces.&nbsp;German politicians, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, have issued strongly worded statements against Erdogan&#39;s crackdown following the putsch. 
 
The hardline response &quot;flouts the rule of law&quot;, Merkel&#39;s spokesman Steffen Seibert has said, also blasting &quot;revolting scenes of caprice and revenge&quot; in the wake of the failed coup. 
 
At the same time, Ankara is demanding that Germany extradite suspects linked to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan accuses of masterminding the power snatch. 
 
The 75-year-old has strongly denied any involvement. Erdogan enjoys a large support base among the diaspora in Germany, home to some 1.5 million people with Turkish nationality who can vote in Turkish elections. 
 
His AKP party garnered 60 per cent in the country in last November&#39;s election, a bigger share of the vote than in Turkey. Germany&#39;s integration commissioner Aydan Ozoguz underlined Erdogan&#39;s influence, saying he was concerned that &quot;the relationships of people living here with Turkey are being massively exploited politically.&quot; 
 
In the days following the botched coup, pro-Erdogan activists have stormed locations in Germany popular with Gulen&#39;s followers. Critics of the Turkish president have also complained of abuse and threats against them on social media. 
 
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday warned in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily: &quot;It is not right to bring Turkey&#39;s domestic political tensions here... and intimidate people who have other political convictions.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Since the botched coup, German authorities worry that activists from both camps will clash in the streets. Millions of Turks live in Germany

Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are planning to rally in the German city of Cologne on Sunday, as tensions over Turkey's failed coup put authorities on edge. Since the attempted military power grab on July 15, Erdogan's government has launched a crackdown on those allegedly linked to the putsch that has seen the detention of almost 19,000 people, sparking international concern. Erdogan on Saturday signalled plans to tighten his grip through constitutional changes which would bring the Turkish spy agency and the military chief of staff directly under his control. The political strife in Turkey has also found expression in Germany, which is home to the biggest Turkish diaspora. Up to 30,000 people are expected to answer a call to take to the streets from around 1300 GMT issued by a pro-Erdogan group: The Union of European-Turkish Democrats (UETD), police said. The North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Cologne is located, is home to about one third of Germany's three-million strong Turkish community. At the same time, several smaller counter-demonstrations are to take place, including one billed "Stop Erdogan", and another called by far-right activists, raising fears the demonstrators could clash. Security services in Germany sought to head-off any potential violence between the different camps, with some 2,700 officers, including several Turkish speakers, deployed to keep the peace. Cologne's police chief Juergen Mathies warned: "One thing I want to make clear is that we will intervene against any kind of violence quickly, decisively and forcefully." Amid fears that the crowd could be further riled by live screenings of speeches made from Turkey by politicians including Erdogan, Germany's constitutional court banned an application for such broadcasts. Nevertheless, Turkey's sports minister will attend, said Mathies, adding that he had been able to stop the foreign minister from participating. The tension comes at a time when relations between Germany and Turkey are already strained over the German parliament's recent decision to brand as genocide the World War I-era Armenian massacre by Ottoman forces. German politicians, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, have issued strongly worded statements against Erdogan's crackdown following the putsch. The hardline response "flouts the rule of law", Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert has said, also blasting "revolting scenes of caprice and revenge" in the wake of the failed coup. At the same time, Ankara is demanding that Germany extradite suspects linked to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan accuses of masterminding the power snatch. The 75-year-old has strongly denied any involvement. Erdogan enjoys a large support base among the diaspora in Germany, home to some 1.5 million people with Turkish nationality who can vote in Turkish elections. His AKP party garnered 60 per cent in the country in last November's election, a bigger share of the vote than in Turkey. Germany's integration commissioner Aydan Ozoguz underlined Erdogan's influence, saying he was concerned that "the relationships of people living here with Turkey are being massively exploited politically." In the days following the botched coup, pro-Erdogan activists have stormed locations in Germany popular with Gulen's followers. Critics of the Turkish president have also complained of abuse and threats against them on social media. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday warned in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily: "It is not right to bring Turkey's domestic political tensions here... and intimidate people who have other political convictions." (AFP)

Tension ahead of pro-Erdogan rally in Germany

Turkey&nbsp;on Saturday released more than 750 soldiers who had been detained after an abortive coup, state media reported, while President Tayyip Erdogan said he would drop lawsuits against those who had insulted him, in a one-time gesture of &quot;unity&quot;.

More than 60,000 people have been detained, removed or suspended over suspected links with the coup attempt, when a faction of the military commandeered tanks, helicopters and fighter jets and attempted to topple the government.

Turkey&#39;s Western allies have condemned the coup, in which Erdogan has said 237 people were killed and more than 2,100 were wounded, but have been rattled by the scale of the crackdown since.

The purges have targeted supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of masterminding the July 15-16 failed coup. The cleric denies the charges and Erdogan&#39;s critics say the president is using the purges to clamp down on dissent.

State-run Anadolu Agency reported that 758 soldiers were released on the recommendation of prosecutors after giving testimony. A judge agreed, calling their detention unnecessary, Anadolu said.

Another 231 soldiers remain in custody, it said.

Turkey&#39;s military, the second-largest in NATO, has been hard hit in the wake of the coup. On Thursday, 99 colonels were promoted to the rank of general or admiral, following the dishonourable discharge of nearly 1,700 military personnel over their alleged roles in the coup.

About 40 per cent of all generals and admirals in the military have been dismissed since the coup.

Turkish defence minister Fikri Isik told broadcaster NTV on Friday that the shake-up in the military was not yet over, adding that military academies would now be a target of &quot;cleansing&quot;.

Turkey&#39;s military is already stretched, given the violence in the mainly Kurdish southeast, and threats from Islamic State attacks on its border with Syria.

The army killed 35 Kurdish militants after they attempted to storm a base in the southeastern Hakkari province early on Saturday, military officials said.

The head of the pro-Kurdish opposition said that the government&#39;s chance to revive a wrecked peace process with Kurdish rebels has been missed as Erdogan taps nationalist sentiment to consolidate support.

Erdogan&#39;s lawsuits

In an unexpected move, Erdogan said late on Friday he would drop, as a one-off gesture, all lawsuits filed against people for insulting him. He said the decision was triggered by feelings of &quot;unity&quot; against the coup attempt.

It could also be aimed at silencing his Western critics. Prosecutors have opened more than 1,800 cases against people for insulting Erdogan since he became president in 2014, the justice minister said earlier this year. Those targeted include journalists, cartoonists and even children.

It was not immediately clear whether Erdogan would also drop his legal action against German comedian Jan Boehmermann, who earlier this year recited a poem on television suggesting Erdogan engaged in bestiality and watched child pornography, prompting the president to file a complaint with German prosecutors that he had been insulted.

Erdogan also lashed out at the West on Friday, accusing his allies of failing to show solidarity with&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;over the failed coup, saying those who worried over the fate of coup supporters instead of Turkish democracy could not be friends of Ankara.

&quot;The attitude of many countries and their officials over the coup attempt in&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;is shameful in the name of democracy,&quot; Erdogan told hundreds of supporters at the presidential palace in the Turkish capital.

&quot;Any country and any leader who does not worry about the life of Turkish people and our democracy as much as they worry about the fate of coupists are not our friends,&quot; said Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and perhaps death on the night of the coup.

He also criticised the European Council and the European Union, which&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;aspires to be a part of, for their failure to pay a visit to offer condolences, saying their criticism was &quot;shameful&quot;.

European leaders worry that their differences with Erdogan could prompt him to retaliate and put an end to a historic deal, agreed in March, to stem the wave of migrants to Europe.

&quot;The success of the pact so far is fragile. President Erdogan has several times hinted he wants to terminate the agreement,&quot; European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told Austria&#39;s Kurier newspaper in an interview, when asked if the pact could fall apart.&nbsp;

Erdogan has blamed Gulen for masterminding the attempted coup and has called on Washington to extradite him. Turkish officials have suggested the United States could extradite him based on strong suspicion while President Obama last week insisted&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;must first present evidence of Gulen&#39;s alleged complicity in the failed coup.

Court reporters

On Saturday, 56 employees of&nbsp;Turkey&#39;s constitutional court were suspended from their jobs as part of the investigation into the alleged coup, private broadcaster Haberturk TV reported.

Among those, more than 20 court reporters were detained, it reported.

The number of public sector workers removed from their posts since the coup attempt now stands at more than 66,000, including some 43,000 people in education, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Friday.

Interior minister Efkan Ala said more than 18,000 people had been detained over the failed coup, and that 50,000 passports had been cancelled. The labour ministry said it was investigating 1,300 staff over their possible involvement.

Erdogan has said that Gulen harnessed his extensive network of schools, charities and businesses, built up in&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;and abroad over decades, to create a secretive &quot;parallel state&quot; that aimed to take over the country.

The government is now going after Gulen&#39;s network of schools and other institutions abroad. Since the coup, Somalia has already shut two schools and a hospital believed to have links to Gulen, and other governments have received similar requests from Ankara, although not all have been willing to comply. 
 
(Reuters)

Erdogan said the decision was triggered by feelings of 'unity' against the coup attempt

Turkey on Saturday released more than 750 soldiers who had been detained after an abortive coup, state media reported, while President Tayyip Erdogan said he would drop lawsuits against those who had insulted him, in a one-time gesture of "unity". More than 60,000 people have been detained, removed or suspended over suspected links with the coup attempt, when a faction of the military commandeered tanks, helicopters and fighter jets and attempted to topple the government. Turkey's Western allies have condemned the coup, in which Erdogan has said 237 people were killed and more than 2,100 were wounded, but have been rattled by the scale of the crackdown since. The purges have targeted supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of masterminding the July 15-16 failed coup. The cleric denies the charges and Erdogan's critics say the president is using the purges to clamp down on dissent. State-run Anadolu Agency reported that 758 soldiers were released on the recommendation of prosecutors after giving testimony. A judge agreed, calling their detention unnecessary, Anadolu said. Another 231 soldiers remain in custody, it said. Turkey's military, the second-largest in NATO, has been hard hit in the wake of the coup. On Thursday, 99 colonels were promoted to the rank of general or admiral, following the dishonourable discharge of nearly 1,700 military personnel over their alleged roles in the coup. About 40 per cent of all generals and admirals in the military have been dismissed since the coup. Turkish defence minister Fikri Isik told broadcaster NTV on Friday that the shake-up in the military was not yet over, adding that military academies would now be a target of "cleansing". Turkey's military is already stretched, given the violence in the mainly Kurdish southeast, and threats from Islamic State attacks on its border with Syria. The army killed 35 Kurdish militants after they attempted to storm a base in the southeastern Hakkari province early on Saturday, military officials said. The head of the pro-Kurdish opposition said that the government's chance to revive a wrecked peace process with Kurdish rebels has been missed as Erdogan taps nationalist sentiment to consolidate support. Erdogan's lawsuits In an unexpected move, Erdogan said late on Friday he would drop, as a one-off gesture, all lawsuits filed against people for insulting him. He said the decision was triggered by feelings of "unity" against the coup attempt. It could also be aimed at silencing his Western critics. Prosecutors have opened more than 1,800 cases against people for insulting Erdogan since he became president in 2014, the justice minister said earlier this year. Those targeted include journalists, cartoonists and even children. It was not immediately clear whether Erdogan would also drop his legal action against German comedian Jan Boehmermann, who earlier this year recited a poem on television suggesting Erdogan engaged in bestiality and watched child pornography, prompting the president to file a complaint with German prosecutors that he had been insulted. Erdogan also lashed out at the West on Friday, accusing his allies of failing to show solidarity with Turkey over the failed coup, saying those who worried over the fate of coup supporters instead of Turkish democracy could not be friends of Ankara. "The attitude of many countries and their officials over the coup attempt in Turkey is shameful in the name of democracy," Erdogan told hundreds of supporters at the presidential palace in the Turkish capital. "Any country and any leader who does not worry about the life of Turkish people and our democracy as much as they worry about the fate of coupists are not our friends," said Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and perhaps death on the night of the coup. He also criticised the European Council and the European Union, which Turkey aspires to be a part of, for their failure to pay a visit to offer condolences, saying their criticism was "shameful". European leaders worry that their differences with Erdogan could prompt him to retaliate and put an end to a historic deal, agreed in March, to stem the wave of migrants to Europe. "The success of the pact so far is fragile. President Erdogan has several times hinted he wants to terminate the agreement," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told Austria's Kurier newspaper in an interview, when asked if the pact could fall apart. Erdogan has blamed Gulen for masterminding the attempted coup and has called on Washington to extradite him. Turkish officials have suggested the United States could extradite him based on strong suspicion while President Obama last week insisted Turkey must first present evidence of Gulen's alleged complicity in the failed coup. Court reporters On Saturday, 56 employees of Turkey's constitutional court were suspended from their jobs as part of the investigation into the alleged coup, private broadcaster Haberturk TV reported. Among those, more than 20 court reporters were detained, it reported. The number of public sector workers removed from their posts since the coup attempt now stands at more than 66,000, including some 43,000 people in education, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Friday. Interior minister Efkan Ala said more than 18,000 people had been detained over the failed coup, and that 50,000 passports had been cancelled. The labour ministry said it was investigating 1,300 staff over their possible involvement. Erdogan has said that Gulen harnessed his extensive network of schools, charities and businesses, built up in Turkey and abroad over decades, to create a secretive "parallel state" that aimed to take over the country. The government is now going after Gulen's network of schools and other institutions abroad. Since the coup, Somalia has already shut two schools and a hospital believed to have links to Gulen, and other governments have received similar requests from Ankara, although not all have been willing to comply. (Reuters)

Turkey releases 758 detained soldiers as President Erdogan drops lawsuits

The commander of US forces in the West Asia denied yesterday that he had any link to the military coup attempt in Turkey following accusations by the country&#39;s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 
 
&quot;Any reporting that I had anything to do with the recent unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey is unfortunate and completely inaccurate,&quot; general Joseph Votel, commander of US Central Command, said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Turkey has been an extraordinary and vital partner in the region for many years. We appreciate Turkey&#39;s continuing cooperation and look forward to our future partnership in the counter-ISIL fight,&quot; Votel said, referring to the Islamic State group. 
 
Erdogan yesterday accused Votel of being on the side of Turkey&#39;s coup plotters after commenting that the country&#39;s turmoil could downgrade military cooperation with Washington. 
 
&quot;You are taking the side of coup plotters instead of thanking this state for defeating the coup attempt,&quot; Erdogan said in angry remarks at a military centre in Golbasi near Ankara, where air strikes left dozens dead during the failed putsch on July 15. 
 
According to US media reports, Votel had said the coup bid and subsequent round-up of dozens of generals could affect American military cooperation with Turkey. 
 
In particular, Votel reportedly suggested the US had lost key Turkish military interlocutors who are now in jail and accused of being behind the coup. 
 
&quot;Know your place!&quot; Erdogan told Votel, using one of his favorite expressions of anger. 
 
&quot;The coup plotter is already in your country, you are already feeding him,&quot; he said, referring to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who Ankara accuses of being the mastermind of the coup. 
 
Turkey is a key member of the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State jihadists in Syria, with its Incirlik air base used as a launch hub for raids on the group. 
 
(AFP)

General Votel had suggested that Turkey's turmoil and its purge of dozens of generals could affect US military cooperation with the country

The commander of US forces in the West Asia denied yesterday that he had any link to the military coup attempt in Turkey following accusations by the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Any reporting that I had anything to do with the recent unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey is unfortunate and completely inaccurate," general Joseph Votel, commander of US Central Command, said in a statement. "Turkey has been an extraordinary and vital partner in the region for many years. We appreciate Turkey's continuing cooperation and look forward to our future partnership in the counter-ISIL fight," Votel said, referring to the Islamic State group. Erdogan yesterday accused Votel of being on the side of Turkey's coup plotters after commenting that the country's turmoil could downgrade military cooperation with Washington. "You are taking the side of coup plotters instead of thanking this state for defeating the coup attempt," Erdogan said in angry remarks at a military centre in Golbasi near Ankara, where air strikes left dozens dead during the failed putsch on July 15. According to US media reports, Votel had said the coup bid and subsequent round-up of dozens of generals could affect American military cooperation with Turkey. In particular, Votel reportedly suggested the US had lost key Turkish military interlocutors who are now in jail and accused of being behind the coup. "Know your place!" Erdogan told Votel, using one of his favorite expressions of anger. "The coup plotter is already in your country, you are already feeding him," he said, referring to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who Ankara accuses of being the mastermind of the coup. Turkey is a key member of the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State jihadists in Syria, with its Incirlik air base used as a launch hub for raids on the group. (AFP)

US general denies link to Turkey's military coup

The number of foreigners visiting Turkey plummeted more than 40 per cent in June, official data showed today, marking the biggest drop in at least 22 years as tensions with Russia and a series of deadly bombings kept tourists away. 
 
The decline is the latest in a string of bad news for the economy as political and security concerns erode foreign investor confidence. 
 
An attempted military coup this month has further bruised the outlook for Turkey&#39;s economy, once seen as a stand-out among emerging markets. 
 
Drop in tourism revenue could cost $8 billion 
 
Some economists have forecast that tourism revenue - a pillar of the economy - could drop by a quarter this year, costing around $8 billion, or the equivalent of 1 per cent of gross domestic product. 
 
The drop-off is also likely to continue. 
 
In late June, 45 people were killed in bomb and gun attacks at Istanbul&#39;s main airport, an attack authorities have blamed on Islamic State militants. This month, a faction of the military attempted to overthrow the government in an abortive putsch that left at least 246 people dead excluding the plotters. 
 
British travel company Thomas Cook today cut its full-year profit target, after the failed coup forced its customers to change holiday plans. Turkey&#39;s Aegean and Mediterranean resorts and beaches are traditionally popular with European holidaymakers. 
 
Tourist arrivals fell 40.86 per cent year-on-year in June, with 2.44 million people arriving during the month, data from the Tourism Ministry showed. It was the biggest drop on record, according to the data, which goes back to 1994. 
 
The previous record was set in May, when tourist arrivals fell 34.7 per cent. Tourism has been hit hard by tensions with Moscow after Turkey shot down a Russian jet over Syria last year. 
 
While Ankara and Moscow have recently started to rebuild ties, tourist arrivals from Russia dropped 87 per cent in the first six months of the year, the data showed. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Coup bid this month further bruised outlook for Turkey's economy, once seen as a stand-out among emerging markets

The number of foreigners visiting Turkey plummeted more than 40 per cent in June, official data showed today, marking the biggest drop in at least 22 years as tensions with Russia and a series of deadly bombings kept tourists away. The decline is the latest in a string of bad news for the economy as political and security concerns erode foreign investor confidence. An attempted military coup this month has further bruised the outlook for Turkey's economy, once seen as a stand-out among emerging markets. Drop in tourism revenue could cost $8 billion Some economists have forecast that tourism revenue - a pillar of the economy - could drop by a quarter this year, costing around $8 billion, or the equivalent of 1 per cent of gross domestic product. The drop-off is also likely to continue. In late June, 45 people were killed in bomb and gun attacks at Istanbul's main airport, an attack authorities have blamed on Islamic State militants. This month, a faction of the military attempted to overthrow the government in an abortive putsch that left at least 246 people dead excluding the plotters. British travel company Thomas Cook today cut its full-year profit target, after the failed coup forced its customers to change holiday plans. Turkey's Aegean and Mediterranean resorts and beaches are traditionally popular with European holidaymakers. Tourist arrivals fell 40.86 per cent year-on-year in June, with 2.44 million people arriving during the month, data from the Tourism Ministry showed. It was the biggest drop on record, according to the data, which goes back to 1994. The previous record was set in May, when tourist arrivals fell 34.7 per cent. Tourism has been hit hard by tensions with Moscow after Turkey shot down a Russian jet over Syria last year. While Ankara and Moscow have recently started to rebuild ties, tourist arrivals from Russia dropped 87 per cent in the first six months of the year, the data showed. (Reuters)

Turkey witnesses biggest drop in ?22 years in tourist arrivals?

Turkish authorities have detained more than 15,000 people, including more than 10,000 soldiers, following the July 15-16 failed coup attempt, broadcaster CNN Turk today cited interior minister Efkana Ala as saying. 
 
A total of 8,113 people have been formally arrested pending trial, the broadcaster cited Ala as saying. A faction of Turkey&#39;s armed forces attempted to overthrow the government this month, but their effort failed when thousands of supporters of President Tayyip Erdogan took to the streets to defy the putsch. 
 
(Reuters)

Interior minister Efkana Ala said 8,113 people have been formally arrested pending trial

Turkish authorities have detained more than 15,000 people, including more than 10,000 soldiers, following the July 15-16 failed coup attempt, broadcaster CNN Turk today cited interior minister Efkana Ala as saying. A total of 8,113 people have been formally arrested pending trial, the broadcaster cited Ala as saying. A faction of Turkey's armed forces attempted to overthrow the government this month, but their effort failed when thousands of supporters of President Tayyip Erdogan took to the streets to defy the putsch. (Reuters)

More than 15,000 detained over coup bid, says Turkey's interior minister

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday accused the EU of not paying its way under a deal to send Syrian refugees back across the Aegean. 
 
Ankara and Brussels signed a controversial deal in March, in which Turkey agreed to take Syrian migrants landing on Greek islands in exchange for political and financial incentives.&nbsp;The deal included billions of Euros in aid and visa-free travel for Turks in Europe, but ties have been strained by Erdogan&#39;s massive crackdown after a failed coup this month. 
 
The President said the EU had promised $3 billion, but so far only paid a nominal $1 million to $2 million.&nbsp;&quot;The (European) governments are not honest,&quot; Erdogan told German public television station ARD.&nbsp;&quot;Three million Syrians, or people from Iraq, are now in Turkey,&quot; he said. &quot;The EU has not kept its promises on the matter.&quot; 
 
Erdogan estimated the refugees, many of whom have fled the devastating five-year civil war in neighbouring Syria, have cost Turkey $12 billion.&nbsp;The EU made the deal with Turkey to temper a huge influx of more than a million migrants which overwhelmed the bloc last year.&nbsp;Late last month, Brussels said it had opened a new negotiating chapter with Turkey on its long-stalled bid for membership of the bloc. 
 
But that bid has been hit by Erdogan&#39;s sweeping crackdown in the wake of the failed July 15 military takeover, which has seen more than 13,000 people detained. 
 
The President repeated his call for capital punishment for the plotters, an issue that has perturbed the EU, saying: &quot;The people want the death penalty reinstated&quot;. 
 
&quot;We as a government need to hear what the people say,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 as part of its bid to join the EU. 
 
(AFP)

Turkey's deal with Brussels to absorb Syrian migrants in exchange for financial incentives was derailed by Erdogan's crackdown

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday accused the EU of not paying its way under a deal to send Syrian refugees back across the Aegean. Ankara and Brussels signed a controversial deal in March, in which Turkey agreed to take Syrian migrants landing on Greek islands in exchange for political and financial incentives. The deal included billions of Euros in aid and visa-free travel for Turks in Europe, but ties have been strained by Erdogan's massive crackdown after a failed coup this month. The President said the EU had promised $3 billion, but so far only paid a nominal $1 million to $2 million. "The (European) governments are not honest," Erdogan told German public television station ARD. "Three million Syrians, or people from Iraq, are now in Turkey," he said. "The EU has not kept its promises on the matter." Erdogan estimated the refugees, many of whom have fled the devastating five-year civil war in neighbouring Syria, have cost Turkey $12 billion. The EU made the deal with Turkey to temper a huge influx of more than a million migrants which overwhelmed the bloc last year. Late last month, Brussels said it had opened a new negotiating chapter with Turkey on its long-stalled bid for membership of the bloc. But that bid has been hit by Erdogan's sweeping crackdown in the wake of the failed July 15 military takeover, which has seen more than 13,000 people detained. The President repeated his call for capital punishment for the plotters, an issue that has perturbed the EU, saying: "The people want the death penalty reinstated". "We as a government need to hear what the people say," he added. Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 as part of its bid to join the EU. (AFP)

Erdogan accuses EU of reneging on migrant deal

The Turkish government is ready to work with all the main opposition parties in drafting a new constitution, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said yesterday, after months of deadlock on the issue. 
 
&quot;All the main parties are ready to start work on a new constitution,&quot; Yildirim told reporters in Ankara, saying that this was made clear in a meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and two opposition leaders earlier in the day. 
 
He said that in a first step a &quot;small amendment&quot; would be made to the constitution in the aftermath of the July 15 attempted putsch, without specifying further. 
 
&quot;There will be a small change to remove obstacles from the constitution and the work is underway to do this,&quot; Yildirim said. 
 
He added that work would then begin on a brand new constitution, an issue that has been one of the most controversial issues in Turkish politics over the last few months. 
 
The current constitution was drawn up in the wake of 1980 coup and the government has long called for it to be changed. 
 
Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) want to introduce an executive presidential system but the prime minister did not mention this in his speech. 
 
Erdogan, whose AKP holds the majority in parliament, earlier met with Republican People&#39;s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chief Devlet Bahceli in a meeting aimed at finding political harmony after the coup. 
 
The head of the pro-Kurdish Peoples&#39; Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas was not invited to the palace talks but Yildirim said the HDP could also take part in talks on the constitution. 
 
Yildirim confirmed that the gendarmerie, which looks after domestic security, and the coastguard would also be brought under the control of the interior ministry instead of the army. 
 
(AFP)

Prime Minister Yildirim said a small change to remove obstacles from the constitution would be made, without giving further details

The Turkish government is ready to work with all the main opposition parties in drafting a new constitution, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said yesterday, after months of deadlock on the issue. "All the main parties are ready to start work on a new constitution," Yildirim told reporters in Ankara, saying that this was made clear in a meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and two opposition leaders earlier in the day. He said that in a first step a "small amendment" would be made to the constitution in the aftermath of the July 15 attempted putsch, without specifying further. "There will be a small change to remove obstacles from the constitution and the work is underway to do this," Yildirim said. He added that work would then begin on a brand new constitution, an issue that has been one of the most controversial issues in Turkish politics over the last few months. The current constitution was drawn up in the wake of 1980 coup and the government has long called for it to be changed. Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) want to introduce an executive presidential system but the prime minister did not mention this in his speech. Erdogan, whose AKP holds the majority in parliament, earlier met with Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chief Devlet Bahceli in a meeting aimed at finding political harmony after the coup. The head of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas was not invited to the palace talks but Yildirim said the HDP could also take part in talks on the constitution. Yildirim confirmed that the gendarmerie, which looks after domestic security, and the coastguard would also be brought under the control of the interior ministry instead of the army. (AFP)

Turkey govt to work with opposition on new constitution

Recently, Turkey witnessed a failed coup attempt while the President of the country Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on a holiday. The President appealed to the citizens to defend the country against the coup. And indeed, they did so, with the masses taking over the streets and fighting the coup perpetrators. 
 
The President of Turkey, instead of accepting this as a spontaneous show of solidarity, as a symbol of strong belief among the Turks in democracy, and making efforts to bolster that belief further, did a massive crackdown and arrested a large number of people. President Erdogan has often been called an elected dictator due to his past actions. About 2,000, including teenagers, have been prosecuted for insulting the President and journalists have also been put on trial since he assumed office in 2014. 
 
After the coup attempt and the subsequent actions of Erdogan, even the US secretary of state, John Kerry, raised the question of Turkey&rsquo;s NATO membership, suggesting that anti-democratic behaviour could imperil the country&rsquo;s place in the alliance. 
 
Several times questions have been raised regarding Turkey&rsquo;s membership to NATO. Whether it should be part of NATO or not? 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/rohit-jpeg-20160725033343.jpg" /> 
 
 
Strategic Location&nbsp;and Challenges 
 
Turkey is strategically very well placed. It is just north of Iraq and Syria, east of Europe, west of Georgia and Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran, thus making it strategically very important. 
 
Because of its location and the alliance with NATO it has tremendously benefitted. When in 2003 Iraq was bombed out and almost no refining could be done in the war-ravaged country, 40,000 oil tankers were going into Turkey for refining. The oil pipeline was being put in place and it was protected by Halliburton to deliver that oil to Turkey. The income was tremendous for Turkey. Since then the Islamic State has taken over many of the oil assets in Syria and Iraq and Turkey has played a key role in selling their oil. 
 
For NATO too Turkey is at a strategic location, enabling &nbsp;the alliance to use the country&rsquo;s bases that are close enough to Russia and also to the rest of Iraq and Syria. Historically, Turkey played an important role during the Cold War. Even then questions are being raised regarding its NATO membership and there are plausible reasons to do so. 
 
Kurdish Dilemma 
 
The tensions between Turkey and the US have increased substantially as a result of differences over the degree of US support for the Syrian Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed affiliate, the People&rsquo;s Protection Units (YPG), that are fighting against the ISIS and the Syrian Government. However, YPG is a Turkey-based group fighting for Kurdish autonomy and the Turkish government opposes this movement of the Kurds strongly. 
 
Thus, when Turkey and the US came to an agreement in July 2014 that allowed the US and NATO air forces to use the Incirlik Air Base, the relationship between US and Turkey improved. However, Turkey interpreted this agreement as a licence to attack PKK bases in northern Iraq as well as within Turkey. For Ankara, this is a fight more against the Kurds rather than the fall of ISIS and restoring peace in Syria. Clearly, US and Turkey are not on the same page. 
 
Turkey has played a role in helping the Northern Iraqi Kurds by becoming the centre point of exchange of money for oil that the Kurds sell to Iraq. This is one way to scuttle the close ties that the Iraqi Kurds and the Turkish Kurds could develop to carve a new country out of Turkey. 
 
Turkey-Russia Ballet 
 
Over the years, the relationship between Russia and Turkey improved dramatically. By 2015, Russia was Turkey&rsquo;s third-largest trading partner, fourth-largest source of foreign investment, and main supplier of natural gas, and Russian tourists had become a common sight in Turkish resort towns. There were chartered planes that flew from Russia to Turkish resorts. However, tensions between the two nations mounted when Turkey downed one Russian aircraft and Russia responded by imposing sanctions on Turkey. However, in June this year, there have been talks about normalisation of ties between Turkey and Russia as well. Russia has also lifted some of the sanctions that it slapped on Turkey. The Turks will play with NATO using the card of getting closer to the Russians and then pose a threat to NATO itself. The very fact that Russians have played an active role in Syria has already created unease for NATO. 
 
Turkey and European Union 
 
In March, Turkey and European Union entered into an ambitious deal where Turkey would take almost 2.8 million Syrian refugees within its borders with some financial assistance from the European Union and in return EU would lift visa restrictions for Turkish citizens. 
 
EU has allocated &euro;3 billion under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey to be re-imbursed by the end of 2018. So far, of the overall &euro;3 billion, &euro;740 million has been allocated, for both humanitarian and non-humanitarian assistance. This has caused tensions between the two parties. Also, EU is critical of Turkey&rsquo;s inability or will to control human-smuggling groups that are enabling refugees from Syria to reach European shores. 
 
With the recent crackdown in Turkey after the failed coup, the refugees may feel unsafe in Turkey and move towards European countries, further adding to the migrant crisis in Europe. 
 
Is Turkey Drifting? 
 
Turkey has come a long way from being a liberal society in the Nineties. But it is not leaders like Erdogan who can be blamed for this conservative approach alone. Through the early 2000s when I spoke with the Turks many would say that their society was becoming very liberal and that is when they began to take the turn towards an orthodox society. Egypt for them was an example when it went from being a liberal State in the Seventies to a highly conservative society in the Nineties. 
 
As these countries move towards conservatism, it is the women who get really impacted. Men curb their freedoms and the religious Right begins to take over, pushing women inside homes. In Egypt such a transition was still possible but Turkey may be looking at a fight as they continue to turn towards conservatism. The biggest impact would, however, come if NATO turns its back on a partner who no longer has the same values of a progressive nation. NATO&rsquo;s core principles have been to create nations of equal participation of women at all levels, ranging from conflict prevention to post-conflict reconstruction, peace and security. It expects its members to stand up and fight against sexual violence and ensure accountability to end impunity for incidents of sexual violence in conflict zones. But the direction that Turkey is taking may not fit in with the values of NATO that the Americans lead. It will get more and more difficult for NATO to justify Turkey&rsquo;s existence in this marriage of sorts. 
&nbsp;

Turkey?s recent moves at stifling democracy draw NATO?s ire

Recently, Turkey witnessed a failed coup attempt while the President of the country Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on a holiday. The President appealed to the citizens to defend the country against the coup. And indeed, they did so, with the masses taking over the streets and fighting the coup perpetrators. The President of Turkey, instead of accepting this as a spontaneous show of solidarity, as a symbol of strong belief among the Turks in democracy, and making efforts to bolster that belief further, did a massive crackdown and arrested a large number of people. President Erdogan has often been called an elected dictator due to his past actions. About 2,000, including teenagers, have been prosecuted for insulting the President and journalists have also been put on trial since he assumed office in 2014. After the coup attempt and the subsequent actions of Erdogan, even the US secretary of state, John Kerry, raised the question of Turkey’s NATO membership, suggesting that anti-democratic behaviour could imperil the country’s place in the alliance. Several times questions have been raised regarding Turkey’s membership to NATO. Whether it should be part of NATO or not? Strategic Location and Challenges Turkey is strategically very well placed. It is just north of Iraq and Syria, east of Europe, west of Georgia and Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran, thus making it strategically very important. Because of its location and the alliance with NATO it has tremendously benefitted. When in 2003 Iraq was bombed out and almost no refining could be done in the war-ravaged country, 40,000 oil tankers were going into Turkey for refining. The oil pipeline was being put in place and it was protected by Halliburton to deliver that oil to Turkey. The income was tremendous for Turkey. Since then the Islamic State has taken over many of the oil assets in Syria and Iraq and Turkey has played a key role in selling their oil. For NATO too Turkey is at a strategic location, enabling the alliance to use the country’s bases that are close enough to Russia and also to the rest of Iraq and Syria. Historically, Turkey played an important role during the Cold War. Even then questions are being raised regarding its NATO membership and there are plausible reasons to do so. Kurdish Dilemma The tensions between Turkey and the US have increased substantially as a result of differences over the degree of US support for the Syrian Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed affiliate, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), that are fighting against the ISIS and the Syrian Government. However, YPG is a Turkey-based group fighting for Kurdish autonomy and the Turkish government opposes this movement of the Kurds strongly. Thus, when Turkey and the US came to an agreement in July 2014 that allowed the US and NATO air forces to use the Incirlik Air Base, the relationship between US and Turkey improved. However, Turkey interpreted this agreement as a licence to attack PKK bases in northern Iraq as well as within Turkey. For Ankara, this is a fight more against the Kurds rather than the fall of ISIS and restoring peace in Syria. Clearly, US and Turkey are not on the same page. Turkey has played a role in helping the Northern Iraqi Kurds by becoming the centre point of exchange of money for oil that the Kurds sell to Iraq. This is one way to scuttle the close ties that the Iraqi Kurds and the Turkish Kurds could develop to carve a new country out of Turkey. Turkey-Russia Ballet Over the years, the relationship between Russia and Turkey improved dramatically. By 2015, Russia was Turkey’s third-largest trading partner, fourth-largest source of foreign investment, and main supplier of natural gas, and Russian tourists had become a common sight in Turkish resort towns. There were chartered planes that flew from Russia to Turkish resorts. However, tensions between the two nations mounted when Turkey downed one Russian aircraft and Russia responded by imposing sanctions on Turkey. However, in June this year, there have been talks about normalisation of ties between Turkey and Russia as well. Russia has also lifted some of the sanctions that it slapped on Turkey. The Turks will play with NATO using the card of getting closer to the Russians and then pose a threat to NATO itself. The very fact that Russians have played an active role in Syria has already created unease for NATO. Turkey and European Union In March, Turkey and European Union entered into an ambitious deal where Turkey would take almost 2.8 million Syrian refugees within its borders with some financial assistance from the European Union and in return EU would lift visa restrictions for Turkish citizens. EU has allocated €3 billion under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey to be re-imbursed by the end of 2018. So far, of the overall €3 billion, €740 million has been allocated, for both humanitarian and non-humanitarian assistance. This has caused tensions between the two parties. Also, EU is critical of Turkey’s inability or will to control human-smuggling groups that are enabling refugees from Syria to reach European shores. With the recent crackdown in Turkey after the failed coup, the refugees may feel unsafe in Turkey and move towards European countries, further adding to the migrant crisis in Europe. Is Turkey Drifting? Turkey has come a long way from being a liberal society in the Nineties. But it is not leaders like Erdogan who can be blamed for this conservative approach alone. Through the early 2000s when I spoke with the Turks many would say that their society was becoming very liberal and that is when they began to take the turn towards an orthodox society. Egypt for them was an example when it went from being a liberal State in the Seventies to a highly conservative society in the Nineties. As these countries move towards conservatism, it is the women who get really impacted. Men curb their freedoms and the religious Right begins to take over, pushing women inside homes. In Egypt such a transition was still possible but Turkey may be looking at a fight as they continue to turn towards conservatism. The biggest impact would, however, come if NATO turns its back on a partner who no longer has the same values of a progressive nation. NATO’s core principles have been to create nations of equal participation of women at all levels, ranging from conflict prevention to post-conflict reconstruction, peace and security. It expects its members to stand up and fight against sexual violence and ensure accountability to end impunity for incidents of sexual violence in conflict zones. But the direction that Turkey is taking may not fit in with the values of NATO that the Americans lead. It will get more and more difficult for NATO to justify Turkey’s existence in this marriage of sorts.

Turkish coffee an acquired taste

Turkish Airlines said today it had fired 211 employees over suspected links to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen and behaviour &quot;conflicting with the interest of our country&quot; in the wake of last week&#39;s coup. 
 
The flag carrier said their contracts were terminated due to &quot;the non-fulfillment of performance criteria and in line with the necessary actions we are taking against the FETO structure, attitudes and behaviour conflicting with the interest of our country and company&quot;. 
 
The authorities accuse 75-year-old Gulen of running a group it labels the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO) that was behind the coup, and Ankara has demanded that Washington extradite him. 
 
The preacher, who lives in a secluded compound in rural Pennsylvania and whose foundation runs a global network of schools, charities and media interests, has strongly denied the accusations against him. 
 
In a statement signed by the airline&#39;s media relations unit, Turkish Airlines stressed that it stands &quot;united with all of the heroic and honourable Turkish people&quot; against the coup plotters&#39; &quot;malevolent illegal attempt&quot;. 
 
&quot;Under any circumstances, we have and will continue to fulfil our responsibility to contribute to democracy.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The state-run airlines suspects fired employees had links with US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen

Turkish Airlines said today it had fired 211 employees over suspected links to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen and behaviour "conflicting with the interest of our country" in the wake of last week's coup. The flag carrier said their contracts were terminated due to "the non-fulfillment of performance criteria and in line with the necessary actions we are taking against the FETO structure, attitudes and behaviour conflicting with the interest of our country and company". The authorities accuse 75-year-old Gulen of running a group it labels the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO) that was behind the coup, and Ankara has demanded that Washington extradite him. The preacher, who lives in a secluded compound in rural Pennsylvania and whose foundation runs a global network of schools, charities and media interests, has strongly denied the accusations against him. In a statement signed by the airline's media relations unit, Turkish Airlines stressed that it stands "united with all of the heroic and honourable Turkish people" against the coup plotters' "malevolent illegal attempt". "Under any circumstances, we have and will continue to fulfil our responsibility to contribute to democracy." (AFP)

Turkish Airlines sacks 211 employees for 'involvement' in coup bid

Turkey ordered the detention of 42 journalists today, broadcaster NTV reported, under a crackdown following a failed coup that has targeted more than 60,000 people, drawing fire from the European Union (EU). 
 
The arrests or suspensions of soldiers, police, judges and civil servants in response to the July 15-16 putsch have raised concerns among rights groups and Western countries, who fear President Tayyip Erdogan is capitalising on it to tighten his grip on power. 
 
EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker questioned Ankara&#39;s long-standing aspiration to join the EU. 
 
&quot;I believe that Turkey, in its current state, is not in a position to become a member any time soon and not even over a longer period,&quot; Juncker said on French television France 2. 
 
Juncker also said that if Turkey reintroduces the death penalty - something the government has said it must consider, responding to calls from supporters at public rallies for the coup leaders to be executed - it would stop the EU accession process immediately. 
 
Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004, allowing it to open EU accession talks the following year, but the negotiations have made scant progress since then. 
 
Responding to Juncker&#39;s comments, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Haberturk TV that Europe cannot threaten Turkey regarding the death penalty. 
 
Erdogan has declared a state of emergency, which allows him to sign new laws without prior parliamentary approval and limit rights as he deems necessary. 
 
The government has said these steps are needed to root out supporters of the coup and will not infringe on the rights of ordinary Turks. 
 
NTV reported that among the 42 journalists subject to arrest warrants was well-known commentator and former parliamentarian Nazli Ilicak. 
 
State-run Turkish Airlines fired more than 100 employees, including management and cabin crew, Turkish media reported. 
 
Turkey wants US to extradite Gulen&nbsp; 
 
Erdogan has accused US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has many followers in Turkey, of masterminding the coup plot. In his first decree since the state of emergency was declared, Erdogan ordered the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and foundations with suspected links to Gulen, who denies involvement in the coup. 
 
Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, says the coup may have been orchestrated by Erdogan himself. 
 
Turkey wants the United States to extradite the cleric. Washington has said it will do so only if there is clear evidence. 
 
Foreign minister Cavusoglu said that ties with Washington will be affected if it fails to extradite Gulen. He said he would hold meetings with political and judiciary officials during a coming visit to the United States. 
 
Erdogan has accused Gulen, his former ally, of attempting to build a &quot;parallel network&quot; of supporters within the military, police, judiciary, civil service, education and media with the aim of toppling the state. 
 
&quot;They are traitors,&quot; Erdogan told Reuters in an interview last week. He described Gulen&#39;s network as &quot;like a cancer&quot; and said he would treat them like a &quot;separatist terrorist organisation&quot; and root them out, wherever they may be. 
 
Gulen denies the allegations 
 
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday that authorities had taken around 13,000 people into custody over the coup attempt, including 8,831 soldiers. He promised they would have a fair trial. 
 
Rights group Amnesty International said it had received credible evidence of detainees being subjected to beatings and torture, including rape, since the coup attempt. 
 
Erdogan has extended the maximum period of detention for suspects from four days to 30, a move Amnesty said increased the risk of torture or other maltreatment of detainees. 
 
The government has said there would be no backtracking on human rights and has ruled out torture and curfews in the state of emergency. 
 
Ankara&#39;s frustration 
 
Ankara is increasingly expressing frustration over what it says in the lack of solidarity from Western partners in the aftermath of the coup. 
 
Western countries pledged support for democracy in Turkey, but have also expressed concern over the scale of subsequent purges of state institutions. 
 
Last week, the minister for EU affairs chided Western countries for not sending any representatives to demonstrate their solidarity with Turkey since the failed coup. 
 
On Sunday, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin took to the opinion pages of the New York Times to defend Turkey&#39;s actions. 
 
&quot;Several thousand military officers and their accomplices in law enforcement and the judiciary have been suspended or arrested for having links to the coup. Their removal from public posts makes the Turkish government stronger and more transparent,&quot; he wrote, adding that at least 1,200 rank-and-file soldiers have been released so far. 
 
He also dismissed claims that Erdogan had orchestrated the coup in order to launch a crackdown. 
 
&quot;The claim that this was a fake coup is no more credible than the laughable claim that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated by the United States.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in response to Ankara's crackdown said in its current state, it is not in a position to join EU

Turkey ordered the detention of 42 journalists today, broadcaster NTV reported, under a crackdown following a failed coup that has targeted more than 60,000 people, drawing fire from the European Union (EU). The arrests or suspensions of soldiers, police, judges and civil servants in response to the July 15-16 putsch have raised concerns among rights groups and Western countries, who fear President Tayyip Erdogan is capitalising on it to tighten his grip on power. EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker questioned Ankara's long-standing aspiration to join the EU. "I believe that Turkey, in its current state, is not in a position to become a member any time soon and not even over a longer period," Juncker said on French television France 2. Juncker also said that if Turkey reintroduces the death penalty - something the government has said it must consider, responding to calls from supporters at public rallies for the coup leaders to be executed - it would stop the EU accession process immediately. Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004, allowing it to open EU accession talks the following year, but the negotiations have made scant progress since then. Responding to Juncker's comments, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Haberturk TV that Europe cannot threaten Turkey regarding the death penalty. Erdogan has declared a state of emergency, which allows him to sign new laws without prior parliamentary approval and limit rights as he deems necessary. The government has said these steps are needed to root out supporters of the coup and will not infringe on the rights of ordinary Turks. NTV reported that among the 42 journalists subject to arrest warrants was well-known commentator and former parliamentarian Nazli Ilicak. State-run Turkish Airlines fired more than 100 employees, including management and cabin crew, Turkish media reported. Turkey wants US to extradite Gulen Erdogan has accused US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has many followers in Turkey, of masterminding the coup plot. In his first decree since the state of emergency was declared, Erdogan ordered the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and foundations with suspected links to Gulen, who denies involvement in the coup. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, says the coup may have been orchestrated by Erdogan himself. Turkey wants the United States to extradite the cleric. Washington has said it will do so only if there is clear evidence. Foreign minister Cavusoglu said that ties with Washington will be affected if it fails to extradite Gulen. He said he would hold meetings with political and judiciary officials during a coming visit to the United States. Erdogan has accused Gulen, his former ally, of attempting to build a "parallel network" of supporters within the military, police, judiciary, civil service, education and media with the aim of toppling the state. "They are traitors," Erdogan told Reuters in an interview last week. He described Gulen's network as "like a cancer" and said he would treat them like a "separatist terrorist organisation" and root them out, wherever they may be. Gulen denies the allegations Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday that authorities had taken around 13,000 people into custody over the coup attempt, including 8,831 soldiers. He promised they would have a fair trial. Rights group Amnesty International said it had received credible evidence of detainees being subjected to beatings and torture, including rape, since the coup attempt. Erdogan has extended the maximum period of detention for suspects from four days to 30, a move Amnesty said increased the risk of torture or other maltreatment of detainees. The government has said there would be no backtracking on human rights and has ruled out torture and curfews in the state of emergency. Ankara's frustration Ankara is increasingly expressing frustration over what it says in the lack of solidarity from Western partners in the aftermath of the coup. Western countries pledged support for democracy in Turkey, but have also expressed concern over the scale of subsequent purges of state institutions. Last week, the minister for EU affairs chided Western countries for not sending any representatives to demonstrate their solidarity with Turkey since the failed coup. On Sunday, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin took to the opinion pages of the New York Times to defend Turkey's actions. "Several thousand military officers and their accomplices in law enforcement and the judiciary have been suspended or arrested for having links to the coup. Their removal from public posts makes the Turkish government stronger and more transparent," he wrote, adding that at least 1,200 rank-and-file soldiers have been released so far. He also dismissed claims that Erdogan had orchestrated the coup in order to launch a crackdown. "The claim that this was a fake coup is no more credible than the laughable claim that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated by the United States." (Reuters)

EU furious as Turkey detains 42 journalists after coup bid

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said today that the risk of another coup had not disappeared, but said the government and other institutions were in control of the situation. 
 
One week after a faction of the Turkish military staged a brief but abortive coup, in which an estimated 246 people were killed, Yildirim also urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency. 
 
&quot;The danger has not ended but our citizens should not be anxious,&quot; Yildirim told reporters, adding that Turkey&#39;s institutions were guided by the rule of law, not by any desire for revenge, in dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup. 
 
(Reuters)

Yildirim urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said today that the risk of another coup had not disappeared, but said the government and other institutions were in control of the situation. One week after a faction of the Turkish military staged a brief but abortive coup, in which an estimated 246 people were killed, Yildirim also urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency. "The danger has not ended but our citizens should not be anxious," Yildirim told reporters, adding that Turkey's institutions were guided by the rule of law, not by any desire for revenge, in dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup. (Reuters)

Turkish Prime Minister Yildirim says risk of second coup attempt not over

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today faced growing criticism from the European Union (EU) over an &quot;unacceptable&quot; crackdown that has seen tens of thousands of people detained or sacked, as supporters celebrated the defeat one week ago of the coup aimed at ending his rule.&nbsp; 
 
The authorities imposed a state of emergency yesterday, strengthening powers to round up suspects behind the failed military putsch and suspending a key European rights convention. 
 
The European Union urged Turkey &quot;to respect under any circumstances the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms&quot;, in a joint statement from foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn. 
 
They slammed as &quot;unacceptable&quot; the sacking or suspension of tens of thousands of people in the education system, judiciary and the media and said they were monitoring the state of emergency &quot;with concern&quot;. 
 
Turkey&#39;s Western allies have been watching with alarm the turmoil in the key NATO member state, which has also been reeling from a wave of bomb attacks by Islamic State group jihadists and Kurdish rebels. 
 
 
Erdogan basks in support of jubilant crowds&nbsp; 
 
But at home, Erdogan has basked in the support of jubilant crowds who took to the streets of Istanbul overnight. 
 
Huge numbers were again expected to fill city squares Friday to celebrate Erdogan`s victory over the rebels, whose botched coup last Friday with troops, tanks and fighter jets claimed 265 lives. 
 
The president has said July 15 would in future be marked as the &quot;Remembrance Day of the Martyrs&quot;. 
 
The government said the coup claimed the lives of 24 plotters, and of 241 citizens and members of the security forces who stood up to them. Thousands of Erdogan supporters -- many carrying lit torches and waving the national crescent flag -- late Thursday streamed across the Bosphorus bridge that was one of the key battlegrounds. 
 
Flocking to the landmark where Turkish citizens stood up to the mutineers, they brandished signs such as &quot;Our flag, our nation&quot; and denounced the man Erdogan blames for the coup plot -- US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, 75. 
 
Erdogan has repeatedly rallied Turks -- on TV and even with mass phone text messages -- to stay on the streets in the fight against the &quot;terrorist&quot; followers of the spiritual leader whom he accuses of forming a secretive &quot;parallel state&quot; in Turkey. 
 
Erdogan has demanded the United States extradite his former ally turned arch-enemy Gulen, the leader of the Hizmet (Service) movement, which runs a global network of schools as well as businesses, media outlets and cultural centres. 
 
The usually reclusive 75-year-old preacher has condemned the attempted putsch and rejected the accusations against him as &quot;ridiculous, irresponsible and false&quot;. 
 
Late Wednesday, after a marathon meeting of his national security council, Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency -- Turkey`s first since 2002, the year before he first came to power as prime minister. 
 
The emergency powers allow Erdogan and his cabinet to rule by decree and rights groups and opposition parties fear they could lead to further curbs on freedoms of speech and assembly. 
 
&quot;The road to arbitrary rule, unlawful behaviour, feeding on violence, has been chosen,&quot; charged the opposition Peoples` Democratic Party (HDP).&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Society has been forced to choose between a coup or an undemocratic government.&quot;Erdogan has insisted democracy would &quot;not be compromised&quot; and the government pointed out that France also declared an emergency in the wake of a series of bloody jihadist attacks. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said there would be no curfews, and that the special measures may only last 45 days, insisting: &quot;We want to end the state of emergency as soon as possible&quot;. 
 
&quot;This is not a declaration of martial law.&quot; 
 
Period of pre-charge detention likely to be lengthened&nbsp; 
 
Erdogan said 10,410 people had so far been detained with 4,060 of them remanded in custody, including more than 100 generals and admirals.&nbsp; 
 
Turkey has started to close Gulenist schools, may set up special courts for coup plotters and restructure the MIT intelligence service, the Hurriyet and Sabah newspapers reported, citing government sources. 
 
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told CNN-Turk that the period of pre-charge detention would be lengthened. 
 
On restoring the death penalty, he pointed to Erdogan`s comment that there was popular demand for its reintroduction. 
 
&quot;The president said we cannot close our ears to the demands of the people.&quot; 
 
On EU warnings that capital punishment would spell the end of Turkey&#39;s membership bid, he said &quot;the European Union cannot tell us much, it has made Turkey wait at the door&quot; for decades. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Turkey's Western allies have been watching with alarm the turmoil in the key NATO member state

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today faced growing criticism from the European Union (EU) over an "unacceptable" crackdown that has seen tens of thousands of people detained or sacked, as supporters celebrated the defeat one week ago of the coup aimed at ending his rule. The authorities imposed a state of emergency yesterday, strengthening powers to round up suspects behind the failed military putsch and suspending a key European rights convention. The European Union urged Turkey "to respect under any circumstances the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms", in a joint statement from foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn. They slammed as "unacceptable" the sacking or suspension of tens of thousands of people in the education system, judiciary and the media and said they were monitoring the state of emergency "with concern". Turkey's Western allies have been watching with alarm the turmoil in the key NATO member state, which has also been reeling from a wave of bomb attacks by Islamic State group jihadists and Kurdish rebels. Erdogan basks in support of jubilant crowds But at home, Erdogan has basked in the support of jubilant crowds who took to the streets of Istanbul overnight. Huge numbers were again expected to fill city squares Friday to celebrate Erdogan`s victory over the rebels, whose botched coup last Friday with troops, tanks and fighter jets claimed 265 lives. The president has said July 15 would in future be marked as the "Remembrance Day of the Martyrs". The government said the coup claimed the lives of 24 plotters, and of 241 citizens and members of the security forces who stood up to them. Thousands of Erdogan supporters -- many carrying lit torches and waving the national crescent flag -- late Thursday streamed across the Bosphorus bridge that was one of the key battlegrounds. Flocking to the landmark where Turkish citizens stood up to the mutineers, they brandished signs such as "Our flag, our nation" and denounced the man Erdogan blames for the coup plot -- US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, 75. Erdogan has repeatedly rallied Turks -- on TV and even with mass phone text messages -- to stay on the streets in the fight against the "terrorist" followers of the spiritual leader whom he accuses of forming a secretive "parallel state" in Turkey. Erdogan has demanded the United States extradite his former ally turned arch-enemy Gulen, the leader of the Hizmet (Service) movement, which runs a global network of schools as well as businesses, media outlets and cultural centres. The usually reclusive 75-year-old preacher has condemned the attempted putsch and rejected the accusations against him as "ridiculous, irresponsible and false". Late Wednesday, after a marathon meeting of his national security council, Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency -- Turkey`s first since 2002, the year before he first came to power as prime minister. The emergency powers allow Erdogan and his cabinet to rule by decree and rights groups and opposition parties fear they could lead to further curbs on freedoms of speech and assembly. "The road to arbitrary rule, unlawful behaviour, feeding on violence, has been chosen," charged the opposition Peoples` Democratic Party (HDP). "Society has been forced to choose between a coup or an undemocratic government."Erdogan has insisted democracy would "not be compromised" and the government pointed out that France also declared an emergency in the wake of a series of bloody jihadist attacks. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said there would be no curfews, and that the special measures may only last 45 days, insisting: "We want to end the state of emergency as soon as possible". "This is not a declaration of martial law." Period of pre-charge detention likely to be lengthened Erdogan said 10,410 people had so far been detained with 4,060 of them remanded in custody, including more than 100 generals and admirals. Turkey has started to close Gulenist schools, may set up special courts for coup plotters and restructure the MIT intelligence service, the Hurriyet and Sabah newspapers reported, citing government sources. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told CNN-Turk that the period of pre-charge detention would be lengthened. On restoring the death penalty, he pointed to Erdogan`s comment that there was popular demand for its reintroduction. "The president said we cannot close our ears to the demands of the people." On EU warnings that capital punishment would spell the end of Turkey's membership bid, he said "the European Union cannot tell us much, it has made Turkey wait at the door" for decades. (AFP)

Week after Turkey coup bid, EU slams 'unacceptable' crackdown

Eight Turkish military officers who fled last week&#39;s failed coup to Greece were moved to Athens today, a police source said, where authorities will examine their asylum pleas. 
 
&quot;They came to Athens this morning,&quot; the source said, without being able to confirm where the suspects are being held. 
 
&quot;I assume it&#39;s because their asylum cases will be examined here,&quot; the officer added. 
 
The eight men -- two commanders, four captains and two sergeants -- requested asylum in Greece after landing a military helicopter in the northern city of Alexandroupoli on Saturday. 
 
They were allowed to land after sending a distress signal to authorities, and claim they will not receive a fair trial in Turkey. 
 
A first ruling on the asylum applications is expected in early August. 
 
On Thursday, the Alexandroupoli court handed them suspended two-month prison sentences for illegally entering Greece. 
 
The sentences were suspended for a three-year period as the court took into account that the men felt threatened. 
 
In his defence, one of the Turkish officers told the court through a translator that he did not want to return home owing to &quot;indiscriminate&quot; arrests by Ankara authorities. 
 
&quot;We saw indiscriminate arrests of military personnel and we were afraid,&quot; the suspect said. 
 
The eight had been in police custody in the city of Kavala until today. 
 
The case threatens to strain ties between NATO allies Turkey and Greece, with Ankara labelling the eight &quot;terrorists&quot;. 
 
Turkey&#39;s ambassador has warned that failure to return the officers &quot;will not help&quot; ties. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
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The case threatens to strain ties between NATO allies Turkey and Greece, with Ankara labeling the suspects 'terrorists'

Eight Turkish military officers who fled last week's failed coup to Greece were moved to Athens today, a police source said, where authorities will examine their asylum pleas. "They came to Athens this morning," the source said, without being able to confirm where the suspects are being held. "I assume it's because their asylum cases will be examined here," the officer added. The eight men -- two commanders, four captains and two sergeants -- requested asylum in Greece after landing a military helicopter in the northern city of Alexandroupoli on Saturday. They were allowed to land after sending a distress signal to authorities, and claim they will not receive a fair trial in Turkey. A first ruling on the asylum applications is expected in early August. On Thursday, the Alexandroupoli court handed them suspended two-month prison sentences for illegally entering Greece. The sentences were suspended for a three-year period as the court took into account that the men felt threatened. In his defence, one of the Turkish officers told the court through a translator that he did not want to return home owing to "indiscriminate" arrests by Ankara authorities. "We saw indiscriminate arrests of military personnel and we were afraid," the suspect said. The eight had been in police custody in the city of Kavala until today. The case threatens to strain ties between NATO allies Turkey and Greece, with Ankara labelling the eight "terrorists". Turkey's ambassador has warned that failure to return the officers "will not help" ties. (AFP)

Turkey failed coup suspects moved to Athens for asylum verdict

Turkey rebuffed the European Union on Friday over the death penalty, while President Tayyip Erdogan vowed to restructure the military and give it &quot;fresh blood&quot;, signalling the scope of a shake-up yet to come under a state of emergency. 
 
There is growing worry in the West about Turkey&#39;s widening crackdown against thousands of members of the security forces, judiciary, civil service and academia after last week&#39;s failed military coup. On Wednesday Erdogan announced a state of emergency, a move he said would allow the government to take swift action against coup plotters. 
 
The possibility of Turkey bringing back capital punishment for the plotters of the attempted coup that killed more than 246 people and wounded more than 2,100 has put further strain on Ankara&#39;s relationship with the EU, which it seeks to join. 
 
Turkey outlawed capital punishment in 2004 as part of its bid to join the bloc and European officials have said backtracking on the death penalty would effectively put an end to the EU accession process. Erdogan says the death penalty may need to be brought back, citing the calls for it from crowds of supporters at rallies. 
 
&quot;People demand the death penalty and that demand will surely be assessed. We have to assess that demand from the standpoint on law, and not according to what the EU says,&quot; Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told broadcaster CNN Turk. 
 
His comments are likely to spark further unease in the West, where there is growing worry about instability and human rights in the country of 80 million, which plays an important part in the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State and in the European Union&#39;s efforts to stem the flow of refugees from Syria. 
 
Turkish government says risk of second coup attempt not yet over 
 
Erdogan accuses Fethullah Gulen, a charismatic U.S.-based cleric, of masterminding the plot against him, which crumbled early on Saturday. In a crackdown on Gulen&#39;s suspected followers, more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or placed under investigation. 
 
Bozdag said that armed Gulen supporters had infiltrated the judiciary, universities and the media, as well as the armed forces. 
Erdogan told Reuters late on Thursday he would restructure the military and give it &quot;fresh blood&quot;, citing the threat of the Gulen movement, which he likened to a cancer. 
 
Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, has denied any role in the attempted putsch, and accused Erdogan of orchestrating the coup himself. Turkey wants the U.S. to extradite the cleric. Washington says Turkey must give clear evidence first. 
 
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Friday that the risk of another coup had not disappeared but said the government and other institutions were in control of the situation. 
 
One week after a faction of the Turkish military staged a brief but abortive coup in which an estimated 246 people were killed, Yildirim also urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency. 
 
&quot;The danger has not ended but our citizens should not be anxious,&quot; Yildirim told reporters, adding that Turkey&#39;s institutions were guided by the rule of law, not by any desire for revenge, in dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup.&nbsp; 
 
Supreme Council to oversee restructuring of Turkish armed forces 
 
Erdogan said the government&#39;s Supreme Military Council, which is chaired by the prime minister, and includes the defence minister and the chief of staff, would oversee the restructuring of the armed forces. 
 
&quot;They are all working together as to what might be done, and ... within a very short amount of time a new structure will be emerging. With this new structure, I believe the armed forces will get fresh blood,&quot; Erdogan said. 
 
Speaking at his palace in Ankara, which was targeted during the coup attempt, he said a new putsch was possible but would not be easy because authorities were now more vigilant. 
 
&quot;It is very clear that there were significant gaps and deficiencies in our intelligence, there is no point trying to hide it or deny it,&quot; Erdogan told Reuters. 
 
Erdogan also said there was no obstacle to extending the state of emergency beyond the initial three months - a comment likely to spark concern among critics already fearful about the pace of his crackdown. Emergency powers allow the government to take swift measures against supporters of the coup, in which more than 246 people were killed and over 2,000 wounded. 
 
Emergency rule will also permit the president and cabinet to bypass parliament in enacting new laws and to limit or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary. 
 
Erdogan&#39;s response sparks unease in the West 
 
Germany called for the measure to end as quickly as possible. An international lawyers&#39; group warned Turkey against using it to subvert the rule of law and human rights, pointing to allegations of torture and ill-treatment of people held in the mass roundup. 
 
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the reaction to the coup must not undermine fundamental rights. 
 
&quot;What we&#39;re seeing especially in the fields of universities, media, the judiciary, is unacceptable,&quot; she said of detentions and dismissals of judges, academics and journalists. 
 
Opposition parties which stood with the authorities against the coup expressed concern that the state of emergency could concentrate too much power in the hands of Erdogan, whose rivals have long accused him of suppressing free speech. 
 
Erdogan, an Islamist, has led Turkey as prime minister or president since 2003. 
 
&quot;We will continue the fight ... wherever they might be. These people have infiltrated the state organisation in this country and they rebelled against the state,&quot; he said, calling the actions of Friday night &quot;inhuman&quot; and &quot;immoral&quot;. 
 
Around a third of Turkey&#39;s roughly 360 serving generals have been detained since the coup attempt, a senior official said, with 99 charged pending trial and 14 more being held. 
 
The Defence Ministry is investigating all military judges and prosecutors, and has suspended 262 of them, broadcaster NTV reported, while 900 police officers in the capital, Ankara, were also suspended on Wednesday. The purge also extended to civil servants in the environment and sports ministries. 
 
The state of emergency went into effect after parliament formally approved the measure on Thursday. 
 
(Reuters) 
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Ankara says institutions are guided by the rule of law, not by any desire for revenge, in dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup

Turkey rebuffed the European Union on Friday over the death penalty, while President Tayyip Erdogan vowed to restructure the military and give it "fresh blood", signalling the scope of a shake-up yet to come under a state of emergency. There is growing worry in the West about Turkey's widening crackdown against thousands of members of the security forces, judiciary, civil service and academia after last week's failed military coup. On Wednesday Erdogan announced a state of emergency, a move he said would allow the government to take swift action against coup plotters. The possibility of Turkey bringing back capital punishment for the plotters of the attempted coup that killed more than 246 people and wounded more than 2,100 has put further strain on Ankara's relationship with the EU, which it seeks to join. Turkey outlawed capital punishment in 2004 as part of its bid to join the bloc and European officials have said backtracking on the death penalty would effectively put an end to the EU accession process. Erdogan says the death penalty may need to be brought back, citing the calls for it from crowds of supporters at rallies. "People demand the death penalty and that demand will surely be assessed. We have to assess that demand from the standpoint on law, and not according to what the EU says," Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told broadcaster CNN Turk. His comments are likely to spark further unease in the West, where there is growing worry about instability and human rights in the country of 80 million, which plays an important part in the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State and in the European Union's efforts to stem the flow of refugees from Syria. Turkish government says risk of second coup attempt not yet over Erdogan accuses Fethullah Gulen, a charismatic U.S.-based cleric, of masterminding the plot against him, which crumbled early on Saturday. In a crackdown on Gulen's suspected followers, more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or placed under investigation. Bozdag said that armed Gulen supporters had infiltrated the judiciary, universities and the media, as well as the armed forces. Erdogan told Reuters late on Thursday he would restructure the military and give it "fresh blood", citing the threat of the Gulen movement, which he likened to a cancer. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, has denied any role in the attempted putsch, and accused Erdogan of orchestrating the coup himself. Turkey wants the U.S. to extradite the cleric. Washington says Turkey must give clear evidence first. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Friday that the risk of another coup had not disappeared but said the government and other institutions were in control of the situation. One week after a faction of the Turkish military staged a brief but abortive coup in which an estimated 246 people were killed, Yildirim also urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency. "The danger has not ended but our citizens should not be anxious," Yildirim told reporters, adding that Turkey's institutions were guided by the rule of law, not by any desire for revenge, in dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup. Supreme Council to oversee restructuring of Turkish armed forces Erdogan said the government's Supreme Military Council, which is chaired by the prime minister, and includes the defence minister and the chief of staff, would oversee the restructuring of the armed forces. "They are all working together as to what might be done, and ... within a very short amount of time a new structure will be emerging. With this new structure, I believe the armed forces will get fresh blood," Erdogan said. Speaking at his palace in Ankara, which was targeted during the coup attempt, he said a new putsch was possible but would not be easy because authorities were now more vigilant. "It is very clear that there were significant gaps and deficiencies in our intelligence, there is no point trying to hide it or deny it," Erdogan told Reuters. Erdogan also said there was no obstacle to extending the state of emergency beyond the initial three months - a comment likely to spark concern among critics already fearful about the pace of his crackdown. Emergency powers allow the government to take swift measures against supporters of the coup, in which more than 246 people were killed and over 2,000 wounded. Emergency rule will also permit the president and cabinet to bypass parliament in enacting new laws and to limit or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary. Erdogan's response sparks unease in the West Germany called for the measure to end as quickly as possible. An international lawyers' group warned Turkey against using it to subvert the rule of law and human rights, pointing to allegations of torture and ill-treatment of people held in the mass roundup. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the reaction to the coup must not undermine fundamental rights. "What we're seeing especially in the fields of universities, media, the judiciary, is unacceptable," she said of detentions and dismissals of judges, academics and journalists. Opposition parties which stood with the authorities against the coup expressed concern that the state of emergency could concentrate too much power in the hands of Erdogan, whose rivals have long accused him of suppressing free speech. Erdogan, an Islamist, has led Turkey as prime minister or president since 2003. "We will continue the fight ... wherever they might be. These people have infiltrated the state organisation in this country and they rebelled against the state," he said, calling the actions of Friday night "inhuman" and "immoral". Around a third of Turkey's roughly 360 serving generals have been detained since the coup attempt, a senior official said, with 99 charged pending trial and 14 more being held. The Defence Ministry is investigating all military judges and prosecutors, and has suspended 262 of them, broadcaster NTV reported, while 900 police officers in the capital, Ankara, were also suspended on Wednesday. The purge also extended to civil servants in the environment and sports ministries. The state of emergency went into effect after parliament formally approved the measure on Thursday. (Reuters)

Turkey rebuffs EU on death penalty, citing calls from supporters

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as he widened a crackdown against thousands of members of the security forces, judiciary, civil service and academia after a failed military coup. 
 
Erdogan said the state of emergency, which would last three months, would allow his government to take swift and effective measures against supporters of the coup and was allowed under the constitution. 
 
The state of emergency would go into force after it is published in Turkey&#39;s official gazette and would allow the President and cabinet to bypass Parliament in passing new laws and to limit or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary. 
 
Erdogan made the announcement during a live television broadcast in front of government ministers after a nearly five-hour meeting of the National Security Council. 
 
&quot;The aim of the declaration of the state of emergency is to be able to take fast and effective steps against this threat against democracy, the rule of law and rights and freedoms of our citizens,&quot; Erdogan said. 
 
Turkey&#39;s deputy premier said Thursday the state of emergency announced to fight plotters of last weeks failed coup may only last up to 45 days, despite being declared for a three-month span. 
 
&quot;We want to end the state of emergency as soon as possible,&quot; Numan Kurtulmus said in quotes carried by private NTV television. 
 
&quot;If conditions return to normal, we think it will take a one or one-and-a-half month period at the maximum. I hope there will be no need for a further extension.&quot; 
 
Turkey imposed a state of emergency as it presses ahead with a crackdown on suspects accused of staging the failed coup, blamed by the government on supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. 
 
Erdogan, who has led Turkey as prime minister or president since 2003, has vowed to clean the &quot;virus&quot; responsible for the plot from all state institutions. The depth and scale of the purges have raised concern among Western allies that Erdogan is trying to suppress all dissent, and that opponents unconnected with the plot will be caught in the net. 
 
Kurtulmus insisted that no steps would be taken to restrict basic rights and freedoms, telling journalists that &quot;the decision on the state of emergency is aimed at cleansing the state of the gang&quot; of conspirators. 
 
About 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or are under investigation since Friday&#39;s military coup attempt. 
 
Before announcing the state of emergency, Erdogan said the sweep was not yet over and that he believed foreign countries might have been involved in the attempt to overthrow him. 
 
Speaking through an interpreter in an interview with broadcaster Al Jazeera, Erdogan dismissed suggestions that he was becoming authoritarian and that Turkish democracy was under threat. 
 
&quot;We will remain within a democratic parliamentary system. We will never step away from it,&quot; he said. 
 
Academics were banned from travelling abroad on Wednesday in what a Turkish official said was a temporary measure to prevent the risk of alleged coup plotters in universities from fleeing. State TRT television said 95 academics had been removed from their posts at Istanbul University alone. 
 
About a third of Turkey&#39;s roughly 360 serving generals have been detained since the coup attempt, a second senior official said, with 99 charged pending trial and 14 more being held. 
 
The defence ministry is investigating all military judges and prosecutors, and has suspended 262 of them, broadcaster NTV reported, while 900 police officers in the capital Ankara were also suspended on Wednesday. The purge also extended to civil servants in the environment and sports ministries. 
 
The threat of prolonged instability in a NATO member country, which had not seen a violent military coup for more than three decades, has shaken investors&#39; confidence. 
 
The lira fell to a record low after ratings agency Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s cut Turkey&#39;s foreign currency credit rating, citing the fragmentation of the political landscape and saying it expected a period of heightened unpredictability. The Istanbul stock index is down 9.5 per cent so far this week, its worst three-day performance since 2013. 
 
Seeking to prevent damage to the economy, Erdogan said in his televised address that his government would not abandon fiscal discipline and that it was not facing liquidity problems. 
 
Military chief refused to back coup bid 
 
About 1,400 were wounded as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and warplanes, strafing Parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul on Friday night. 
 
At the height of the abortive coup, the rebel pilots of two F-16 fighter jets had Erdogan&#39;s plane in their sights as he returned to Istanbul from a holiday on the coast. Erdogan said he was almost killed or captured by the mutineers. 
 
Turkey&#39;s Western allies have expressed solidarity with the government over the coup attempt but have also voiced increasing alarm at the scale and swiftness of the response, urging it to adhere to democratic values. 
 
On Tuesday, authorities shut media outlets deemed to be supportive of Gulen. More than 20,000 teachers and administrators have been suspended from the education ministry. One hundred intelligence officials, 492 people from the Religious Affairs Directorate, 257 at the prime minister&#39;s office and 300 at the energy ministry have been removed from duty. 
 
Those moves come after the detention of more than 6,000 members of the armed forces, from foot soldiers to commanders, and the suspension of close to 3,000 judges and prosecutors. About 8,000 police officers, including in the capital Ankara and the biggest city Istanbul, have also been removed. 
 
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein voiced &quot;serious alarm&quot; on Tuesday at the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors and urged Turkey to allow independent monitors to visit those who have been detained. 
 
The foreign ministry has said criticism of the government&#39;s response amounts to backing the coup attempt. 
 
Tensions with US 
 
Erdogan&#39;s spokesman said on Tuesday the government was preparing a formal request to the United States for the extradition of Gulen. US President Barack Obama discussed the status of Gulen in a telephone call with Erdogan on Tuesday, the White House said, urging Ankara to show restraint as it pursues those responsible for the failed coup. 
 
Gulen, 75, whose religious movement blends conservative Islamic values with a pro-Western outlook, lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, but has a network of supporters within Turkey. He has condemned the abortive coup and denied any role in it. 
 
A former ally-turned critic of Erdogan, he suggested the President staged it as an excuse for a crackdown after a steady accumulation of control during 14 years in power. 
 
Washington has said it would consider Gulen&#39;s extradition only if clear evidence was provided, prompting Prime Minister Yildirim to accuse the United States of double standards in its fight against terrorism. 
 
Erdogan struck a more conciliatory note in his comments to Al Jazeera, saying he did not want to link the issue of US use of Turkey&#39;s Incirlik airbase with Ankara&#39;s request for Gulen&#39;s extradition. 
 
The airbase is key to the US-led fight against Islamic State. 
 
&quot;We need to be more sensitive. Relations between our countries are based on interests, not feelings. We are strategic partners,&quot; Erdogan said. 
 
Any extradition request would face legal and political hurdles in the United States. Even if approved by a judge, it would still have to go to secretary of state John Kerry, who can consider non-legal factors, such as humanitarian arguments. 
 
(Reuters)

Erdogan, however, dismissed concerns about him turning authoritarian and said Turkey 'will remain within a democratic parliamentary system'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as he widened a crackdown against thousands of members of the security forces, judiciary, civil service and academia after a failed military coup. Erdogan said the state of emergency, which would last three months, would allow his government to take swift and effective measures against supporters of the coup and was allowed under the constitution. The state of emergency would go into force after it is published in Turkey's official gazette and would allow the President and cabinet to bypass Parliament in passing new laws and to limit or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary. Erdogan made the announcement during a live television broadcast in front of government ministers after a nearly five-hour meeting of the National Security Council. "The aim of the declaration of the state of emergency is to be able to take fast and effective steps against this threat against democracy, the rule of law and rights and freedoms of our citizens," Erdogan said. Turkey's deputy premier said Thursday the state of emergency announced to fight plotters of last weeks failed coup may only last up to 45 days, despite being declared for a three-month span. "We want to end the state of emergency as soon as possible," Numan Kurtulmus said in quotes carried by private NTV television. "If conditions return to normal, we think it will take a one or one-and-a-half month period at the maximum. I hope there will be no need for a further extension." Turkey imposed a state of emergency as it presses ahead with a crackdown on suspects accused of staging the failed coup, blamed by the government on supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan, who has led Turkey as prime minister or president since 2003, has vowed to clean the "virus" responsible for the plot from all state institutions. The depth and scale of the purges have raised concern among Western allies that Erdogan is trying to suppress all dissent, and that opponents unconnected with the plot will be caught in the net. Kurtulmus insisted that no steps would be taken to restrict basic rights and freedoms, telling journalists that "the decision on the state of emergency is aimed at cleansing the state of the gang" of conspirators. About 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or are under investigation since Friday's military coup attempt. Before announcing the state of emergency, Erdogan said the sweep was not yet over and that he believed foreign countries might have been involved in the attempt to overthrow him. Speaking through an interpreter in an interview with broadcaster Al Jazeera, Erdogan dismissed suggestions that he was becoming authoritarian and that Turkish democracy was under threat. "We will remain within a democratic parliamentary system. We will never step away from it," he said. Academics were banned from travelling abroad on Wednesday in what a Turkish official said was a temporary measure to prevent the risk of alleged coup plotters in universities from fleeing. State TRT television said 95 academics had been removed from their posts at Istanbul University alone. About a third of Turkey's roughly 360 serving generals have been detained since the coup attempt, a second senior official said, with 99 charged pending trial and 14 more being held. The defence ministry is investigating all military judges and prosecutors, and has suspended 262 of them, broadcaster NTV reported, while 900 police officers in the capital Ankara were also suspended on Wednesday. The purge also extended to civil servants in the environment and sports ministries. The threat of prolonged instability in a NATO member country, which had not seen a violent military coup for more than three decades, has shaken investors' confidence. The lira fell to a record low after ratings agency Standard & Poor's cut Turkey's foreign currency credit rating, citing the fragmentation of the political landscape and saying it expected a period of heightened unpredictability. The Istanbul stock index is down 9.5 per cent so far this week, its worst three-day performance since 2013. Seeking to prevent damage to the economy, Erdogan said in his televised address that his government would not abandon fiscal discipline and that it was not facing liquidity problems. Military chief refused to back coup bid About 1,400 were wounded as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and warplanes, strafing Parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul on Friday night. At the height of the abortive coup, the rebel pilots of two F-16 fighter jets had Erdogan's plane in their sights as he returned to Istanbul from a holiday on the coast. Erdogan said he was almost killed or captured by the mutineers. Turkey's Western allies have expressed solidarity with the government over the coup attempt but have also voiced increasing alarm at the scale and swiftness of the response, urging it to adhere to democratic values. On Tuesday, authorities shut media outlets deemed to be supportive of Gulen. More than 20,000 teachers and administrators have been suspended from the education ministry. One hundred intelligence officials, 492 people from the Religious Affairs Directorate, 257 at the prime minister's office and 300 at the energy ministry have been removed from duty. Those moves come after the detention of more than 6,000 members of the armed forces, from foot soldiers to commanders, and the suspension of close to 3,000 judges and prosecutors. About 8,000 police officers, including in the capital Ankara and the biggest city Istanbul, have also been removed. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein voiced "serious alarm" on Tuesday at the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors and urged Turkey to allow independent monitors to visit those who have been detained. The foreign ministry has said criticism of the government's response amounts to backing the coup attempt. Tensions with US Erdogan's spokesman said on Tuesday the government was preparing a formal request to the United States for the extradition of Gulen. US President Barack Obama discussed the status of Gulen in a telephone call with Erdogan on Tuesday, the White House said, urging Ankara to show restraint as it pursues those responsible for the failed coup. Gulen, 75, whose religious movement blends conservative Islamic values with a pro-Western outlook, lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, but has a network of supporters within Turkey. He has condemned the abortive coup and denied any role in it. A former ally-turned critic of Erdogan, he suggested the President staged it as an excuse for a crackdown after a steady accumulation of control during 14 years in power. Washington has said it would consider Gulen's extradition only if clear evidence was provided, prompting Prime Minister Yildirim to accuse the United States of double standards in its fight against terrorism. Erdogan struck a more conciliatory note in his comments to Al Jazeera, saying he did not want to link the issue of US use of Turkey's Incirlik airbase with Ankara's request for Gulen's extradition. The airbase is key to the US-led fight against Islamic State. "We need to be more sensitive. Relations between our countries are based on interests, not feelings. We are strategic partners," Erdogan said. Any extradition request would face legal and political hurdles in the United States. Even if approved by a judge, it would still have to go to secretary of state John Kerry, who can consider non-legal factors, such as humanitarian arguments. (Reuters)

Turkish President Erdogan declares emergency after failed coup attempt

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday urged Turkey to restrict the state of emergency imposed after a failed coup attempt to only the truly necessary length of time and to end the measure as quickly as possible. 
 
Steinmeier issued a statement late on Wednesday in response to the declaration of emergency rule, urging the Turkish government to maintain both the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in its response to the coup attempt. 
 
&quot;The declaration of a state of emergency makes it clear once again: the attempted putsch is having a profound effect on Turkish politics and society,&quot; Steinmeier said. 
 
He said Germany was continuing to call on Turkey to exercise restraint in its response to the thwarted coup. 
 
&quot;Only provable involvement in illegal acts, not suspected political leanings, should trigger governmental action,&quot; Steinmeier said. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s also critical that the declaration of emergency be restricted to only the necessary duration and then be ended as quickly as possible,&quot; he said. 
 
Steinmeier said such an approach was in the interest of Turkey itself, since anything else would tear the country apart and weaken Turkey both internally and externally. 
 
(Reuters)

The German foreign minister urged the Turkish government to maintain the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in response to the coup

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday urged Turkey to restrict the state of emergency imposed after a failed coup attempt to only the truly necessary length of time and to end the measure as quickly as possible. Steinmeier issued a statement late on Wednesday in response to the declaration of emergency rule, urging the Turkish government to maintain both the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in its response to the coup attempt. "The declaration of a state of emergency makes it clear once again: the attempted putsch is having a profound effect on Turkish politics and society," Steinmeier said. He said Germany was continuing to call on Turkey to exercise restraint in its response to the thwarted coup. "Only provable involvement in illegal acts, not suspected political leanings, should trigger governmental action," Steinmeier said. "It's also critical that the declaration of emergency be restricted to only the necessary duration and then be ended as quickly as possible," he said. Steinmeier said such an approach was in the interest of Turkey itself, since anything else would tear the country apart and weaken Turkey both internally and externally. (Reuters)

Germany urges swift end to emergency in Turkey

Turkey widened its massive post-coup purge to schools and the media on Tuesday, vowing to root out supporters of an exiled Islamic cleric it accuses of orchestrating the attempted power grab. 
 
Global alarm is mounting over the retaliatory action since Friday&#39;s failed putsch, which has already seen a massive crackdown in the military, police and judiciary and thousands detained including top generals. 
 
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had sent dossiers to the United States to demand for the extradition of reclusive preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has emerged as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s greatest foe. 
 
Tuesday&#39;s action largely targeted supporters of Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania but retains vast interests in Turkey ranging from media to finance to schools and wields influence in various apparatus including the judiciary and police. 
 
&quot;We will pull them out by the roots... so that no clandestine terrorist organisation, no separatist organisation, will dare to betray Turkey again,&quot; Yildirim warned. 
 
The government suspended 15,200 state education employees allegedly linked to the &quot;Fethullah Terrorist Organisation&quot; -- its name for Gulen&#39;s network -- and demanded the resignation of almost 1,600 deans from private and state universities. 
 
Accused of treason : 
 
The authorities also cancelled licences for radio and television stations said to be linked to the so-called Gulenists. 
 
The state-run Anadolu news agency said 24 media outlets were hit, while 34 journalists were stripped of their press cards. 
 
Already, almost 9,000 people including police, judges and government officials had been sacked in the days following Friday&#39;s coup. 
 
About 9,300 people have also been detained, including top generals accused of treason for allegedly masterminding the plot as well as soldiers, police and judges. 
 
Yildirim nevertheless warned Turks against exacting &quot;revenge&quot; on backers of the attempted overthrow, after disturbing pictures emerged of rough treatment meted out to suspects. 
 
Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin defended the mass detentions and called on Washington to cooperate in handing over Gulen. 
 
Parallel state : 
 
Ankara has long accused Gulen, once a close Erdogan ally sharing his Islamo-conservative views, of operating a parallel state in Turkey with the aim of toppling the government. 
 
Gulen dismissed the allegations he was involved in what he called &quot;treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation,&quot; and said he was not concerned by the extradition move. 
 
He suggested Erdogan himself may have staged the putsch, an idea dismissed by the presidency as &quot;nonsensical&quot;. 
 
Turkey&#39;s anxious Western allies have told Ankara to abide by the rule of law amid fears about a worsening state of democracy and human rights in the strategic NATO nation. 
 
UN rights chief Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein urged a fair trial for the suspects and voiced &quot;serious alarm&quot; over the purges. 
 
&quot;This is the reaction of a wounded animal, a government which fears a repeat of the coup,&quot; political scientist Ahmet Insel said. 
 
&quot;But it is also a sign that it was already preparing purges of this kind and seized the opportunity.&quot; 
 
Erdogan&#39;s suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has also sent shudders through Europe, with the EU warning such a move would be the nail in the coffin of Turkey&#39;s already embattled bid to join the bloc. 
 
Stability fears : 
 
The coup bid was the most serious threat to Erdogan since he took power first as prime minister in 2003, and saw rebel troops close down bridges in Istanbul, parliament bombed from the sky and protesters shot in the streets. 
 
The government says 312 people were killed, including 145 civilians, 60 police, three soldiers and 104 plotters. 
 
The chaos has raised deep concerns about the stability of the country, home to a key base used in the US-led fight against the Islamic State group and which houses a large nuclear weapons stockpile. 
 
The ensuing crackdowns have hit financial markets, with the currency plunging to around three Lira to the Dollar, after the central bank cut interest rates and Moody&#39;s said it was reviewing Turkey for a possible downgrade. 
 
An Ankara court on Monday remanded in custody 26 former generals over the putsch, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, who has been painted by some Turkish media as the mastermind but has denied the claims. 
 
State media published images of a haggard-looking Ozturk, one ear heavily bandaged, and other suspects at the courthouse, their hands tied behind their backs. 
 
The military has often had strained relations with Erdogan&#39;s Islamic-rooted government as the guardians of Turkey&#39;s secular system and has carried out coups in the past. 
 
But it said the vast majority of its members had nothing to do with Friday&#39;s plot and that the &quot;traitors&quot; would be punished severely. 
 
Erdogan has remained in Istanbul since he flew back on Saturday from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. 
 
The president, who critics have long accused of becoming increasingly autocratic, has spoken to supporters every night, urging them to maintain a &quot;vigil&quot; for democracy. 
 
He told CNN his life had been in grave danger. &quot;If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The government suspended 15,200 state education employees allegedly linked to the 'Fethullah Terrorist Organisation'

Turkey widened its massive post-coup purge to schools and the media on Tuesday, vowing to root out supporters of an exiled Islamic cleric it accuses of orchestrating the attempted power grab. Global alarm is mounting over the retaliatory action since Friday's failed putsch, which has already seen a massive crackdown in the military, police and judiciary and thousands detained including top generals. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had sent dossiers to the United States to demand for the extradition of reclusive preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has emerged as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's greatest foe. Tuesday's action largely targeted supporters of Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania but retains vast interests in Turkey ranging from media to finance to schools and wields influence in various apparatus including the judiciary and police. "We will pull them out by the roots... so that no clandestine terrorist organisation, no separatist organisation, will dare to betray Turkey again," Yildirim warned. The government suspended 15,200 state education employees allegedly linked to the "Fethullah Terrorist Organisation" -- its name for Gulen's network -- and demanded the resignation of almost 1,600 deans from private and state universities. Accused of treason : The authorities also cancelled licences for radio and television stations said to be linked to the so-called Gulenists. The state-run Anadolu news agency said 24 media outlets were hit, while 34 journalists were stripped of their press cards. Already, almost 9,000 people including police, judges and government officials had been sacked in the days following Friday's coup. About 9,300 people have also been detained, including top generals accused of treason for allegedly masterminding the plot as well as soldiers, police and judges. Yildirim nevertheless warned Turks against exacting "revenge" on backers of the attempted overthrow, after disturbing pictures emerged of rough treatment meted out to suspects. Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin defended the mass detentions and called on Washington to cooperate in handing over Gulen. Parallel state : Ankara has long accused Gulen, once a close Erdogan ally sharing his Islamo-conservative views, of operating a parallel state in Turkey with the aim of toppling the government. Gulen dismissed the allegations he was involved in what he called "treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation," and said he was not concerned by the extradition move. He suggested Erdogan himself may have staged the putsch, an idea dismissed by the presidency as "nonsensical". Turkey's anxious Western allies have told Ankara to abide by the rule of law amid fears about a worsening state of democracy and human rights in the strategic NATO nation. UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein urged a fair trial for the suspects and voiced "serious alarm" over the purges. "This is the reaction of a wounded animal, a government which fears a repeat of the coup," political scientist Ahmet Insel said. "But it is also a sign that it was already preparing purges of this kind and seized the opportunity." Erdogan's suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has also sent shudders through Europe, with the EU warning such a move would be the nail in the coffin of Turkey's already embattled bid to join the bloc. Stability fears : The coup bid was the most serious threat to Erdogan since he took power first as prime minister in 2003, and saw rebel troops close down bridges in Istanbul, parliament bombed from the sky and protesters shot in the streets. The government says 312 people were killed, including 145 civilians, 60 police, three soldiers and 104 plotters. The chaos has raised deep concerns about the stability of the country, home to a key base used in the US-led fight against the Islamic State group and which houses a large nuclear weapons stockpile. The ensuing crackdowns have hit financial markets, with the currency plunging to around three Lira to the Dollar, after the central bank cut interest rates and Moody's said it was reviewing Turkey for a possible downgrade. An Ankara court on Monday remanded in custody 26 former generals over the putsch, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, who has been painted by some Turkish media as the mastermind but has denied the claims. State media published images of a haggard-looking Ozturk, one ear heavily bandaged, and other suspects at the courthouse, their hands tied behind their backs. The military has often had strained relations with Erdogan's Islamic-rooted government as the guardians of Turkey's secular system and has carried out coups in the past. But it said the vast majority of its members had nothing to do with Friday's plot and that the "traitors" would be punished severely. Erdogan has remained in Istanbul since he flew back on Saturday from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. The president, who critics have long accused of becoming increasingly autocratic, has spoken to supporters every night, urging them to maintain a "vigil" for democracy. He told CNN his life had been in grave danger. "If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them." (AFP)

Turkey targets schools and media, suspends 15,000 state education employees post-coup

All political prisoners in Turkey are being denied the right to meet lawyers, family, and make phone calls, said the Mesopotamia Lawyers Association. 
 
In addition, Turkey has banned 72 websites after&nbsp;after a failed coup which targeted the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15.&nbsp;Turkey has also dismissed almost 9,000 officials, including a massive number of police officers,&nbsp;the state-run Anadolu news agency said yesterday citing the interior ministry. 
 
A total of 8,777 public personnel including 7,899 police, one provincial governor and 29 governors of towns have been dismissed, the ministry said.&nbsp;They also include 614 members of the police force that looks after domestic security, it added. 
 
Turkey&#39;s cracked down on coup plotters has left over 290 dead, as President Erdogan pointed the finger of blame at the supporters of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is believed to wield influence in the police and judiciary. 
 
Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty after the failed attempt to overthrow his government. 
 
&quot;In democracies, decisions are made based on what the people say. I think our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision,&quot; he said, reacting to crowds in Istanbul calling for capital punishment. 
 
&quot;We cannot delay this anymore because in this country, those who launch a coup will have to pay the price for it,&quot; he told supporters after attending funerals for the putsch victims. 
 
In the aftermath of Friday&#39;s foiled coup, there have been frequent calls from thousands of Erdogan supporters for capital punishment to make a return. 
 
Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 under reforms aimed at obtaining European Union membership. 
 
Reinstatement would create further issues between the EU and Ankara in the already stalled membership talks. 
 
Erdogan repeated calls for the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, blaming the coup on the US-based Islamic preacher and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. 
 
Gulen condemned the military uprising &quot;in the strongest terms&quot; in a rare interview with reporters in Pennsylvania and rejected charges of being the coup mastermind, suggesting Erdogan may have staged it himself. 
 
Erdogan earlier broken down in tears at the funeral of his long-time friend, Erol Olcak, and his 16-year-old son who were shot dead on Friday on the Bosphorus bridge. 
 
(Agencies)

Turkey has also banned 72 news websites after?a coup attempt on July 15 targeting the government of President Recep Erdogan failed

All political prisoners in Turkey are being denied the right to meet lawyers, family, and make phone calls, said the Mesopotamia Lawyers Association. In addition, Turkey has banned 72 websites after after a failed coup which targeted the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15. Turkey has also dismissed almost 9,000 officials, including a massive number of police officers, the state-run Anadolu news agency said yesterday citing the interior ministry. A total of 8,777 public personnel including 7,899 police, one provincial governor and 29 governors of towns have been dismissed, the ministry said. They also include 614 members of the police force that looks after domestic security, it added. Turkey's cracked down on coup plotters has left over 290 dead, as President Erdogan pointed the finger of blame at the supporters of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is believed to wield influence in the police and judiciary. Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty after the failed attempt to overthrow his government. "In democracies, decisions are made based on what the people say. I think our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision," he said, reacting to crowds in Istanbul calling for capital punishment. "We cannot delay this anymore because in this country, those who launch a coup will have to pay the price for it," he told supporters after attending funerals for the putsch victims. In the aftermath of Friday's foiled coup, there have been frequent calls from thousands of Erdogan supporters for capital punishment to make a return. Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 under reforms aimed at obtaining European Union membership. Reinstatement would create further issues between the EU and Ankara in the already stalled membership talks. Erdogan repeated calls for the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, blaming the coup on the US-based Islamic preacher and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. Gulen condemned the military uprising "in the strongest terms" in a rare interview with reporters in Pennsylvania and rejected charges of being the coup mastermind, suggesting Erdogan may have staged it himself. Erdogan earlier broken down in tears at the funeral of his long-time friend, Erol Olcak, and his 16-year-old son who were shot dead on Friday on the Bosphorus bridge. (Agencies)

'Political prisoners denied the right to meet lawyers, family or make phone calls in Turkey'

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty after the failed attempt to overthrow his government. 
 
&quot;In democracies, decisions are made based on what the people say. I think our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision,&quot; he said, reacting to crowds in Istanbul calling for capital punishment. 
 
&quot;We cannot delay this anymore because in this country, those who launch a coup will have to pay the price for it,&quot; he told supporters after attending funerals for the putsch victims. 
 
In the aftermath of Friday&#39;s foiled coup, there have been frequent calls from thousands of Erdogan supporters for capital punishment to make a return. 
 
Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 under reforms aimed at obtaining European Union membership. 
 
Reinstatement would create further issues between the EU and Ankara in the already stalled membership talks. 
 
Erdogan repeated calls for the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, blaming the coup on the US-based Islamic preacher and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. 
 
Gulen condemned the military uprising &quot;in the strongest terms&quot; in a rare interview with reporters in Pennsylvania and rejected charges of being the coup mastermind, suggesting Erdogan may have staged it himself. 
 
Erdogan earlier broken down in tears at the funeral of his long-time friend Erol Olcak and his 16-year-old son who were shot dead on Friday on the Bosphorus bridge. 
 
 
(AFP)

'Our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision,' he said, reacting to crowds calling for capital punishment

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty after the failed attempt to overthrow his government. "In democracies, decisions are made based on what the people say. I think our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision," he said, reacting to crowds in Istanbul calling for capital punishment. "We cannot delay this anymore because in this country, those who launch a coup will have to pay the price for it," he told supporters after attending funerals for the putsch victims. In the aftermath of Friday's foiled coup, there have been frequent calls from thousands of Erdogan supporters for capital punishment to make a return. Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 under reforms aimed at obtaining European Union membership. Reinstatement would create further issues between the EU and Ankara in the already stalled membership talks. Erdogan repeated calls for the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, blaming the coup on the US-based Islamic preacher and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. Gulen condemned the military uprising "in the strongest terms" in a rare interview with reporters in Pennsylvania and rejected charges of being the coup mastermind, suggesting Erdogan may have staged it himself. Erdogan earlier broken down in tears at the funeral of his long-time friend Erol Olcak and his 16-year-old son who were shot dead on Friday on the Bosphorus bridge. (AFP)

After failed coup, Erdogan says Turkey will consider reinstating death penalty

Turkish security forces today carried out new raids against suspected plotters of the botched coup against the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as international concern grew over the scale of the crackdown. 
 
The authorities have said around 6,000 people have been detained so far in the investigation into Friday&#39;s coup which Erdogan has blamed on his arch enemy the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. 
 
Special Istanbul anti-terror police units raided the prestigious air force military academy in the city this morning in search of new suspects, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, authorities have also detained General Mehmet Disli, who conducted the operation to capture Turkey&#39;s chief of staff Hulusi Akar during the stand-off, a Turkish official said. 
 
Reports had said that a total of 36 generals had been detained so far. The Dogan agency reported today that 10 of them had now been remanded in custody by the courts. 
 
&#39;Vigil for democracy&#39; 
 
Erdogan has urged citizens to remain on the streets even after the defeat of the coup, in what the authorities describe as a &quot;vigil&quot; for democracy. 
 
New demonstrations of support were held throughout the country on Sunday night, AFP correspondents said. 
 
Thousands of pro-Erdogan supporters waving Turkish flags filled the main Kizilay Square in Ankara while similar scenes were seen in Taksim Square in Istanbul, AFP photographers said. 
 
According to Anadolu, 1,800 additional elite special police forces have been drafted in from surrounding provinces to ensure security in Istanbul. 
 
Eleven soldiers suspected of involvement in the coup were detained Sunday at Istanbul&#39;s Sabiha Gokcen airport on the Asian side of the city in an operation that saw shots fired in the air, Turkish television reports said. 
 
Leaders including US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have urged Turkey to follow the rule of law in the wake of the coup. 
 
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also said today that the rule of law needed to be protected for the sake of the country. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Special Istanbul anti-terror police units raided the prestigious air force military academy this morning in search of new suspects

Turkish security forces today carried out new raids against suspected plotters of the botched coup against the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as international concern grew over the scale of the crackdown. The authorities have said around 6,000 people have been detained so far in the investigation into Friday's coup which Erdogan has blamed on his arch enemy the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Special Istanbul anti-terror police units raided the prestigious air force military academy in the city this morning in search of new suspects, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Meanwhile, authorities have also detained General Mehmet Disli, who conducted the operation to capture Turkey's chief of staff Hulusi Akar during the stand-off, a Turkish official said. Reports had said that a total of 36 generals had been detained so far. The Dogan agency reported today that 10 of them had now been remanded in custody by the courts. 'Vigil for democracy' Erdogan has urged citizens to remain on the streets even after the defeat of the coup, in what the authorities describe as a "vigil" for democracy. New demonstrations of support were held throughout the country on Sunday night, AFP correspondents said. Thousands of pro-Erdogan supporters waving Turkish flags filled the main Kizilay Square in Ankara while similar scenes were seen in Taksim Square in Istanbul, AFP photographers said. According to Anadolu, 1,800 additional elite special police forces have been drafted in from surrounding provinces to ensure security in Istanbul. Eleven soldiers suspected of involvement in the coup were detained Sunday at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport on the Asian side of the city in an operation that saw shots fired in the air, Turkish television reports said. Leaders including US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have urged Turkey to follow the rule of law in the wake of the coup. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also said today that the rule of law needed to be protected for the sake of the country. (AFP)

Turkey carries out new raids against suspected plotters

The swift rounding up of judges and others after a failed coup in Turkey indicated the government had prepared a list beforehand, the EU commissioner dealing with Turkey&#39;s membership bid, Johannes Hahn, said today.&nbsp; 
 
Following a failed coup attempt on Saturday, Turkish authorities on Sunday rounded up nearly 3,000 suspected military plotters, ranging from top commanders to foot soldiers, and the same number of judges and prosecutors. 
 
&quot;It looks at least as if something has been prepared. The lists are available, which indicates it was prepared and to be used at a certain stage,&quot; Hahn said. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m very concerned. It is exactly what we feared,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
&#39;Rule of law has to be protected&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Monday that&nbsp;Turkey must protect the rule of law as it cracks down after the failed coup. 
 
&quot;We are the ones saying today rule of law has to be protected in the country. There is no excuse for any steps that take the country away from that,&quot; Mogherini said as European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels. 
 
&quot;As we have been the first ones to say that in that tragic night (of Friday&#39;s coup attempt), the democratic and legislative institutions needed to be protected,&quot; she told reporters. 
 
&quot;Today we will say together with ministers that obviously doesn&#39;t mean that rule of law and the system of checks and balances in the country does not count. On the contrary, it needs to be protected for the sake of the country. 
 
&quot;So we will send a strong message on that.&quot; 
 
Turkey&#39;s attempts to join EU hobbled in recent years&nbsp; 
 
Would-be EU member Turkey carried out fresh raids today as the EU ministers were meeting, prompting growing international concern over the scale of the crackdown. 
 
Judges and military commanders are among 6,000 people who were arrested over the weekend as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vows to stamp out the &quot;virus&quot; of the coup plotters. 
 
Turkey&#39;s attempts to join the 28-nation European Union have been hobbled in recent years by concern over the increasingly authoritarian Erdogan&#39;s record on human rights and press freedom. 
 
But the EU agreed to speed up its membership bid and give visa-free travel to Turks as part of a migrant crisis deal in which Ankara agreed to take back people landing in the Greek islands. 
 
France, Belgium urge restraint&nbsp; 
 
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also insisted &quot;the rule of law must prevail&quot;. 
 
&quot;France has condemned the coup, you can&#39;t accept the military taking power,&quot; he said. &quot;At the same time we have to be vigilant that the Turkish authorities don&#39;t put in place a system which turns back democracy.&quot; 
 
Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders also urged restraint, saying: &quot;It&#39;s normal to punish those involved in the coup, but it&#39;s normal to ask for respect for the rule of law.&quot; 
 
(Agencies)&nbsp;

The union urges restraint as the country cracks down heavily on people suspected of plotting the failed coup

The swift rounding up of judges and others after a failed coup in Turkey indicated the government had prepared a list beforehand, the EU commissioner dealing with Turkey's membership bid, Johannes Hahn, said today. Following a failed coup attempt on Saturday, Turkish authorities on Sunday rounded up nearly 3,000 suspected military plotters, ranging from top commanders to foot soldiers, and the same number of judges and prosecutors. "It looks at least as if something has been prepared. The lists are available, which indicates it was prepared and to be used at a certain stage," Hahn said. "I'm very concerned. It is exactly what we feared," he added. 'Rule of law has to be protected' Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Monday that Turkey must protect the rule of law as it cracks down after the failed coup. "We are the ones saying today rule of law has to be protected in the country. There is no excuse for any steps that take the country away from that," Mogherini said as European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels. "As we have been the first ones to say that in that tragic night (of Friday's coup attempt), the democratic and legislative institutions needed to be protected," she told reporters. "Today we will say together with ministers that obviously doesn't mean that rule of law and the system of checks and balances in the country does not count. On the contrary, it needs to be protected for the sake of the country. "So we will send a strong message on that." Turkey's attempts to join EU hobbled in recent years Would-be EU member Turkey carried out fresh raids today as the EU ministers were meeting, prompting growing international concern over the scale of the crackdown. Judges and military commanders are among 6,000 people who were arrested over the weekend as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vows to stamp out the "virus" of the coup plotters. Turkey's attempts to join the 28-nation European Union have been hobbled in recent years by concern over the increasingly authoritarian Erdogan's record on human rights and press freedom. But the EU agreed to speed up its membership bid and give visa-free travel to Turks as part of a migrant crisis deal in which Ankara agreed to take back people landing in the Greek islands. France, Belgium urge restraint French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also insisted "the rule of law must prevail". "France has condemned the coup, you can't accept the military taking power," he said. "At the same time we have to be vigilant that the Turkish authorities don't put in place a system which turns back democracy." Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders also urged restraint, saying: "It's normal to punish those involved in the coup, but it's normal to ask for respect for the rule of law." (Agencies)

Turkey government seemed to have list of arrests prepared: EU's Johannes Hahn

Turkish authorities today&nbsp;pressed on with a ruthless crackdown against suspects in the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with 6,000 detained,&nbsp;including generals, that has sparked international concern. 
 
The government&#39;s control has been restored across Turkey and although a few groups of coup plotters are holding out in Istanbul, they no longer pose a risk, a senior official told Reuters today. 
 
There are also a few important members of the military who have not been captured, the official said, adding that they looked likely to be caught soon.

World leaders including US President Barack Obama have strongly condemned the attempted putsch but also urged Turkey to respect the rule of law in its aftermath, especially after pictures emerged showing the rough treatment of some coup plotters when arrested.

Justice minister Bekir Bozdag said today&nbsp;that around 6,000 had been detained and the number would rise.

&quot;The clean-up operations are continuing,&quot; he was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency.

According to the government, 161 civilians and regular troops lost their lives when a group within the army sought to overthrow the authorities by seizing key strategic points in Istanbul and Ankara late Friday.

Over 100 coup plotters were also killed, the military has said.

The botched coup bid was the biggest challenge to Erdogan&#39;s rule in his 13 years as Prime Minister and now President. But he successfully mobilised supporters into the streets to face down the plotters.

Thousands responded late Saturday to a new call by the president to pour into the squares to celebrate the &quot;victory of democracy&quot; with mass rallies of flag-waving Turks reported in cities including Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.

Europe minister Omer Celik urged people to stay on the streets, writing on Twitter that the &quot;vigil for democracy&quot; continues. 
 
&#39;Respect rule of law&#39;

The Turkish authorities have made clear they will show no mercy in the wake of the coup, accusing the plotters of acting on behalf of Erdogan&#39;s arch enemy, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

Turkish television has shown images of captured suspects forced to lie face down on the tarmac after their arrest while AFP photographers have seen suspects roughly led away pursued by angry mobs.

NTV television said 34 generals of various grades had been detained so far. They include senior figures like Erdal Ozturk, commander of the third army and the commander of the Malatya-based second army, Adem Huduti.

In an operation early today, authorities detained the commander of the garrison in the western town of Denizli, Ozhan Ozbakir, along with 51 other soldiers.

Turkey also detained a senior air force general and other officers accused of backing the failed coup at a key air base used by US forces for raids in Syria.

Brigadier air force general Bekir Ercan Van was detained along with over a dozen lower ranking officers on Saturday at the Incirlik air force base in southern Turkey.

Former chief of staff Ilker Basbug told Dogan news agency that Turkey should make a distinction between the coup planners and young soldiers &quot;of 20 years old who may have been mistaken&quot;.

The crackdown is however not restricted to the military and Anadolu said prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for a total of 2,745 judges and prosecutors across Turkey.

The entire investigation is being led by Ankara prosecutors and those arrested are suspected of belonging to Gulen&#39;s group, which Turkey dubs the &#39;Fethullahci Terror Organisation (FETO)&#39;.

Gulen&#39;s supporters say their group which they call Hizmet (Service) is entirely peaceful.

Obama has warned Turkey there is a &quot;vital need&quot; for all parties to &quot;act within the rule of law&quot; in the aftermath of the coup.

French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warned Erdogan against using the failed putsch as a &quot;blank cheque&quot; to silence his opponents.

However there was no such concern from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who called Erdogan to wish for a &quot;speedy restoration of strong constitutional order&quot;.

Erdogan and Putin, who were feuding over the shooting down of a Russian jet until last month, will meet in the first week of August, Anadolu said.
&#39;Extradite Gulen&#39;

Friday&#39;s putsch bid began with rebel F-16 jets screaming low over rooftops in Ankara, soldiers and tanks taking to the streets. Rebel troops also moved to block the two bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul.

Turks have not seen such scenes since 1980 when the military led by general Kenan Evren ousted the government and many had no desire to revive these memories.

Erdogan has pinned the blame on Gulen, an erstwhile ally he accuses of running a &quot;parallel state&quot;, and called on Obama to extradite the reclusive preacher to face justice.

&quot;Mr President, I told you myself, either deport or hand over to us this person who lives in 400 acres of land in Pennsylvania,&quot; he told a triumphant rally in Istanbul late Saturday, carefully not referring to Gulen by name.

In an interview with Haberturk television, Labour Minister Suleyman Soylu went even further, saying: &quot;The United States is behind the coup&quot; and adding it had now to handover Gulen.

But Gulen has categorically denied any involvement in the plot and suggested it could have been staged by Erdogan himself.

Meanwhile, Turkey has demanded the extradition of eight people thought to have been involved in the putsch who landed in a Black Hawk military helicopter in Greece.

The suspects are still in Greece, but the chopper itself is now been flown back to Turkey, a Turkish official said.

Istanbul authorities have sought to get life back to normal but Washington on Saturday warned citizens against travel to the country due to uncertainty after the coup bid. 
 
(AFP &amp; Reuters)

Government control restored. An official said a few coup plotters are holding out in Istanbul but they no longer pose a threat

Turkish authorities today pressed on with a ruthless crackdown against suspects in the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with 6,000 detained, including generals, that has sparked international concern. The government's control has been restored across Turkey and although a few groups of coup plotters are holding out in Istanbul, they no longer pose a risk, a senior official told Reuters today. There are also a few important members of the military who have not been captured, the official said, adding that they looked likely to be caught soon. World leaders including US President Barack Obama have strongly condemned the attempted putsch but also urged Turkey to respect the rule of law in its aftermath, especially after pictures emerged showing the rough treatment of some coup plotters when arrested. Justice minister Bekir Bozdag said today that around 6,000 had been detained and the number would rise. "The clean-up operations are continuing," he was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency. According to the government, 161 civilians and regular troops lost their lives when a group within the army sought to overthrow the authorities by seizing key strategic points in Istanbul and Ankara late Friday. Over 100 coup plotters were also killed, the military has said. The botched coup bid was the biggest challenge to Erdogan's rule in his 13 years as Prime Minister and now President. But he successfully mobilised supporters into the streets to face down the plotters. Thousands responded late Saturday to a new call by the president to pour into the squares to celebrate the "victory of democracy" with mass rallies of flag-waving Turks reported in cities including Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. Europe minister Omer Celik urged people to stay on the streets, writing on Twitter that the "vigil for democracy" continues. 'Respect rule of law' The Turkish authorities have made clear they will show no mercy in the wake of the coup, accusing the plotters of acting on behalf of Erdogan's arch enemy, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Turkish television has shown images of captured suspects forced to lie face down on the tarmac after their arrest while AFP photographers have seen suspects roughly led away pursued by angry mobs. NTV television said 34 generals of various grades had been detained so far. They include senior figures like Erdal Ozturk, commander of the third army and the commander of the Malatya-based second army, Adem Huduti. In an operation early today, authorities detained the commander of the garrison in the western town of Denizli, Ozhan Ozbakir, along with 51 other soldiers. Turkey also detained a senior air force general and other officers accused of backing the failed coup at a key air base used by US forces for raids in Syria. Brigadier air force general Bekir Ercan Van was detained along with over a dozen lower ranking officers on Saturday at the Incirlik air force base in southern Turkey. Former chief of staff Ilker Basbug told Dogan news agency that Turkey should make a distinction between the coup planners and young soldiers "of 20 years old who may have been mistaken". The crackdown is however not restricted to the military and Anadolu said prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for a total of 2,745 judges and prosecutors across Turkey. The entire investigation is being led by Ankara prosecutors and those arrested are suspected of belonging to Gulen's group, which Turkey dubs the 'Fethullahci Terror Organisation (FETO)'. Gulen's supporters say their group which they call Hizmet (Service) is entirely peaceful. Obama has warned Turkey there is a "vital need" for all parties to "act within the rule of law" in the aftermath of the coup. French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warned Erdogan against using the failed putsch as a "blank cheque" to silence his opponents. However there was no such concern from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who called Erdogan to wish for a "speedy restoration of strong constitutional order". Erdogan and Putin, who were feuding over the shooting down of a Russian jet until last month, will meet in the first week of August, Anadolu said. 'Extradite Gulen' Friday's putsch bid began with rebel F-16 jets screaming low over rooftops in Ankara, soldiers and tanks taking to the streets. Rebel troops also moved to block the two bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul. Turks have not seen such scenes since 1980 when the military led by general Kenan Evren ousted the government and many had no desire to revive these memories. Erdogan has pinned the blame on Gulen, an erstwhile ally he accuses of running a "parallel state", and called on Obama to extradite the reclusive preacher to face justice. "Mr President, I told you myself, either deport or hand over to us this person who lives in 400 acres of land in Pennsylvania," he told a triumphant rally in Istanbul late Saturday, carefully not referring to Gulen by name. In an interview with Haberturk television, Labour Minister Suleyman Soylu went even further, saying: "The United States is behind the coup" and adding it had now to handover Gulen. But Gulen has categorically denied any involvement in the plot and suggested it could have been staged by Erdogan himself. Meanwhile, Turkey has demanded the extradition of eight people thought to have been involved in the putsch who landed in a Black Hawk military helicopter in Greece. The suspects are still in Greece, but the chopper itself is now been flown back to Turkey, a Turkish official said. Istanbul authorities have sought to get life back to normal but Washington on Saturday warned citizens against travel to the country due to uncertainty after the coup bid. (AFP & Reuters)

Turkey detains 6,000 in 'clean-up ops' after failed military coup, sparks international concern

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