The government crackdown following the failed military coup in Turkey continued over the weekend, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promising to “cleanse” his opponents as the number of arrests surpassed 6,000.
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TURKEY’S government blamed the United States yesterday for Friday night’s botched military coup as the commander of the main North Atlantic Treaty Organisation airbase in the country was arrested.
Attending a funeral on Sunday for those killed during gunfire, Erdogan said, “It is not anything ordinary that my young brothers lay under tank pellets; this is a manifest of faith”. Erdogan had, on Saturday, pressed USA to extradite liberal cleric Fethullah Gulen whom he has blamed for instigating the coup.
Here is what we know so far about the dramatic events of Friday night and how the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded.
Erdogan, who had been holidaying on the southwest coast when the coup attempt was launched, flew into Istanbul before dawn on Saturday and told thousands of flag-waving supporters at the airport that the government remained at the helm.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said he was willing to entertain the idea, but that Turkish authorities would first have to prove Gülen was involved in the coup attempt. They were arrested by Greek authorities but requested asylum.
His conservative religious vision for Turkey’s future has also alienated many ordinary citizens who accuse him of authoritarianism.
Erdogan spoke to his supporters in front of his Istanbul residence on Sunday evening. “Until we finish them all, until we root them out, we will have no sleep”. Three of the country’s top generals have been detained, alongside hundreds of soldiers.
F-16s attacked Turkey’s parliament building, and helicopters fired at the country’s intelligence headquarters.
“After close coordination with our Turkish allies, counter-ISIL coalition air operations in Turkey have resumed”, Cook tweeted. He has shaken up the government, cracked down on dissidents, restricted the news media and renewed fighting with Kurdish rebels.
Among those detained is the former air force chief Akin Ozturk who has been accused of being one of the main orchestrators of the coup.
More than 50 generals were under arrest, while 2,745 judges were sacked and warrants issued for the arrests of 53 judges and prosecutors. Some soldiers said they had been told it was merely a drill.
Mr Erdogan has pinned the blame on Mr Gulen, an erstwhile ally he accuses of running a “parallel state”, and called on Mr Obama to extradite the reclusive preacher to face justice.
Gulen denies any connection with the coup.
“We want the rule of law to work fully in Turkey”, he said.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said that “the rule of law must prevail”.
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However there was no such concern from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who called Erdogan to wish for a “speedy restoration of strong constitutional order”. The leaders agreed to meet next month.
