A third of Turkey’s highest-ranking military leaders, including army generals and navy admirals, have been formally charged by President Recep Erdogan’s government over Saturday’s failed coup attempt.
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Obama did not commit to that, according to the White House.
Erdogan said Sunday he is receptive to reinstating the country’s death penalty in the aftermath of the coup attempt.But EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini warned that such a step may end Turkey’s EU membership hopes.
The president has blamed the coup attempt on US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally whose followers run a worldwide network of schools.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on Monday said any decision to extradite Gulen would be made under a shared treaty between the United States and Turkey.
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.
Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency Wednesday to help quell the turmoil that began Friday, when members of the military mobilized tanks and helicopters in an attempt to remove the president from power.
Authorities have rounded up thousands alleged to have been involved in the coup, which killed 208 government supporters and 24 coup plotters.
“With respect to Mr Gulen, we have consistently said to our friends in Turkey and allies in Turkey that we need evidence”, Mr Kerry told reporters at the State Department.
The U.S. State Department said it was still in the process of analyzing the documents submitted by Turkey and could not characterize them as an extradition request for Gulen.
Turkey’s military is reported to be 640,000 personnel strong.
In addition, tens of thousands of civil service employees, including teachers and police, have also been fired, accused of ties to the plot or suspected of links to a USA -based cleric whom authorities accuse of being the behind the plot.
The Turkish air force meanwhile launched their first strikes against targets of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq since the putsch aimed at unseating Erdogan, in a sign he has regained full control over the armed forces.
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Turkey hasn’t executed anyone since 1984, and capital punishment was legally abolished in 2004 as part of Turkey’s bid to join the European Union.
