President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds court with military chiefs during a meeting in Ankara on Friday. The military announced late on Thursday the promotion of 99 colonels to the rank of general or admiral, part of a shake-up that left General Staff chief Hulusi Akar and the army, navy and air force commanders in their posts.
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Turkey has undertaken purges of its military and other state institutions following the failed coup, targeting the supporters of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of masterminding the July 15-16 coup attempt. “No state would allow such a threat to remain in its midst”. “The United States government did not direct, support or know about the coup [attempt] before it happened or until it was underway”, he said at that time.
“Instead of thanking this country which repelled a coup attempt, you take the side of the coup plotters”.
The facility was bombed and fired upon during the attempted coup, and 47 police officers were killed. “The putschist is already in your country, you are looking after him”.
Erdogan’s troubling comments come after Votel told an audience at the Aspen Security Conference that several of the USA military’s closest partners in the Turkish military have been jailed.
Speaking at a conference on Thursday, Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of the U.S. Central Command, which oversees the effort against the Islamic State, said “we’ve certainly had relationships with a lot of Turkish leaders, military leaders in particular”. He said the decision was triggered by feelings of “unity” against the coup attempt.
Despite strongly condemning the coup and giving its backing to President Erdogan, the global community has told the government its response must be proportionate, follow due process and avoid indiscriminate reprisals. “You can never convince my people otherwise”.
Erdogan also said that a total of 10,137 people have been formally arrested following the coup. Erdogan said. “Keep that to yourself”.
The president insisted a broad crackdown on the Gulen movement was necessary and would continue.
“Furthermore, the unequivocal support in both words and deeds of friendly governments and peoples against this heinous plot is expected and will be much appreciated.”
“I am concerned that it will impact the level of cooperation and collaboration that we have with Turkey”.
Erdogan has said that Gulen harnessed his extensive network of schools, charities and businesses, built up in Turkey and overseas over decades, to create a “parallel state” that aimed to take over the country.
“Some people give us advice”.
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As the number of detentions since the failed putsch passed 18,000, the European Union’s enlargement commissioner implicitly warned that the bloc would freeze Turkey’s accession talks if the crackdown violated the rule of law. An official of the military also mentioned that in the military decree that another 436 junior officers along with the 1,099 officers also receive honourable.
