Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a number of changes to the organizational structure of Turkey’s military on Saturday, weeks after the botched coup attempt by a faction of the country’s armed forces to overthrow the government.
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The president also slammed the United States, claiming it was not standing firmly against the failed coup in which over 200 people died. They say they are anxious.
Erdogan said the US was taking sides with coup plotters.
Erdogan criticized the European Council and the European Union, which Turkey aspires to be a part of, for failing to visit to offer condolences, saying their criticism was “shameful”.
“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”.
Even before the failed coup, Turkey was struggling with major security challenges including attacks by Kurdish militants and Islamic State, a grim reality underscored by tourism data on Thursday showing a 40 percent fall in foreign visitors in June.
“The Russian reaction created an emotional bond with Turkish officials”, said Mensur Akgun, the chairman of the global relations department at Istanbul’s Kultur University.
Gulen, whose Hizmet (Service) movement stresses the need to embrace scientific progress and inter-faith dialogue, said he still strongly backed Ankara’s bid to join the European Union, saying this would buttress democracy and human rights in Turkey. The authorities say such closures target only Gulenists, though some journalists detained are known for left-wing secular views and do not share the Gulenists’ religious outlook.
Among the four freed was prominent commentator Bulent Mumay.
“Some of the officers that we have our relationships with in Turkey are now either detained, in some cases retired as a result of the coup”, Scaparrotti said.
Military school students were reportedly among 758 out of 989 conscripts released at the request of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor after a court ruled that they did not pose a flight risk. Eight other employees had already been dismissed and were detained on July 18, it said.
Earlier this year, officials had said more than 2,000 people were being prosecuted on charges of insulting the president.
“When we weed out these bad apples… then our army is more trustworthy, more dynamic, cleaner and more effective”, Cavusoglu said.
Turkey blames Gulen for orchestrating the coup attempt, something he denies.
“Our armed forces will be much stronger with the latest decree we are preparing”.
Turkey’s military, the second-largest in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, has been hard hit in the wake of the coup.
Both Yildirim and Erdogan were seen on television during the ceremony weeping as the July 15 victims were remembered.
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The Supreme Military Council, gathering top comman…
