Turkey in new raids against suspected coup plottersISTANBUL: Turkish security forces on Monday carried out new raids against suspected plotters of the botched coup against the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as international concern grew over the scale of the crackdown. Leaders including US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have urged Turkey to follow the rule of law in the wake of the coup. Erdogan has urged citizens to remain on the streets even after the defeat of the coup, in what the authorities describe as a “vigil” for democracy. The authorities have said around 6,000 people have been detained so far in the investigation into Friday’s coup which Erdogan has blamed on his arch enemy the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. According to Anadolu, 1,800 additional elite special police forces have been drafted in from surrounding provinces to ensure security in Istanbul.

Source: Manila Times July 18, 2016 06:22 UTC