Turkey faces multiple security threats, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the PKK. “I am certain they will continue as a committed and strong North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally”, Stoltenberg told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of a meeting of defense officials from more than 30 countries involved in the coalition against Islamic State, Trend reports.
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President Tayyip Erdogan’s government says it is rooting out allies of his one-time ally, Fethullah Gülen, who is accused by Ankara of masterminding the coup.
Turkish lawmakers declared a three-month state of emergency today, overwhelmingly approving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s request for sweeping new powers to expand a government crackdown after last week’s attempt military coup.
Turkey in 2002 lifted its last state of emergency, which had been imposed in provinces in the southeast for the fight against Kurdish militants in 1987.
Kiriakou predicted that Erdogan would use his democratic credentials in a bid to retain credibility and standing with the U.S. government and other countries as he moved to consolidate and increase his power.
The purges against suspected Gulen supporters follow earlier aggressive moves by Erdogan’s administration against Gulen loyalists in the government, police and judiciary following corruption probes targeting Erdogan associates and family members in late 2013 – prosecutions the government says were orchestrated by Gulen. A further 492 people were removed from duty at the Religious Affairs Directorate, 257 at the prime minister’s office and 300 at the energy ministry.
About a third of Turkey’s roughly 360 serving generals have been detained since the failed coup on July 15. But the dragnet has swept up a ridiculously large number of people in Turkey’s employ. “The danger of an escalation in violence between Erdogan supporters and opponents has also risen in Germany”. It also appears to have motivated the coup plotters, whose statement talked of restoring Turkey’s “secular democracy”.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Thursday the state of emergency should only last as long as it’s “absolutely necessary”.
Ankara has said it will seek the extradition of Gulen, who has denounced the coup attempt and denied any involvement. “The fallout of the attempted coup could accelerate these political trends”.
Turkey on Tuesday formally requested the extradition of Gulen from the United States, where he lives in self-imposed exile.
A spokesman for the Turkish government said the USA should be able to extradite the cleric “on grounds of suspicion” rather than requiring specific facts about the case against him.
Turkey faced fresh accusations it was flouting the rule of law with its purge of 50,000 people after an attempted coup, as the president gathered security chiefs Wednesday for the first time since the putsch.
The sources added that Saribey was armed and dressed in civilian clothes.
He praised those who were killed fighting against the coup as “martyrs”.
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The degree with which Erdogan’s government is cracking down on opposition has raised “serious alarm” for United Nations high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein.
