Erdogan, whose efforts to channel more executive power to the presidency have alarmed his opponents, thanked political foes who condemned the coup attempt.
Advertisement
In total, Turkey has closed about 130 media and publishing outlets, Anadolu said.
Also on Wednesday a government official said Turkish special forces were still hunting in the hills around the Mediterranean resort of Marmaris for a group of 11 commandos who are believed to have tried to capture or kill Erdogan on the night of the coup, when he was on holiday in the area.
It further described Kosovo and Albania as “countries” unable to act in any way that is contrary to USA foreign policy, and that, taking into account Washington’s support for FETO, they represent “a good springboard for terrorist organizations”.
Since the failed coup Turkish authorities have suspended, detained or placed under investigation more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, teachers, civil servants and others.
Turkey ordered another 47 journalists detained on Wednesday, singling out columnists and other staff of the now defunct Zaman newspaper, the government official said.
The government blames the uprising on followers of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric who lives in the United States and runs a global network of schools and foundations. The official insisted the warrants were not related to what individual columnists had previously said or written.
In a separate development, landline operator Turk Telekom, which is 30% state-owned, sacked 198 people on Friday in “cooperation with the security forces”, stating that some managers had been summoned by prosecutors for testimony in connection with the coup investigation, The Straits Times reported.
Earlier this week, warrants were issued against 42 other journalists, of whom 16 have been detained for questioning. A large-scale shake-up of the Turkish armed forces is expected to be announced when the country’s Supreme Military Council meets on Thursday.
Turkey has formally requested the extradition of Gulen from the United States, where he lives in self-imposed exile.
Gulen has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the coup attempt.
The strains with the European Union and the United States have coincided with Turkey’s renewed push to fix ties with Russia, badly hurt last November by the Turkish downing of a Russian jet involved in military operations in Syria, and Moscow’s subsequent imposition of trade sanctions.
Advertisement
“We will see more developed relations and that is what needs to take place”, Yildirim said of ties with Russian Federation.
