13 July, Ankara: Over 7,600 military personnel have been dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces over suspected links to the followers of Gulen Movement since the failed coup attempt, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported Wednesday.
According to Turkish Defense Ministry, a total of 7,655 military personnel, including 150 generals and admirals and 4,287 commissioned officers, have been discharged from their posts since the defeated coup. Moreover, some 786 personnel have also been suspended from the armed forces.
Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based preacher, is blamed by Ankara for orchestrating a failed coup attempt on July 15. Nearly 250 people were killed and over 2,000 people were injured in the coup attempt.
The Turkish government declared a state of emergency and launched a massive crackdown on Gulen’s supporters in the aftermath of the coup attempt.
Turkey has arrested tens of thousands of suspected supporters of Gulen and dismissed more than 100,000 public servants from the government since the coup. Xinhua
