The Turkish government ordered on Sunday the dismissal of more than 2,700 people working in public institutions over alleged links to “terror” groups, in the latest purges since the failed coup in 2016. Seventeen Turkish institutions were also ordered to close, including two newspapers and seven associations. Turkey claims Gulen and his Hizmet (service) movement, which it call the “Fethullah Terrorist Organization”, ordered and conducted the attempted coup. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, denies any links to terrorism and the failed putsch. Erdogan, who has also accused Gulen and his followers of infiltrating state institutions, has said the sackings were necessary to remove what he called the “virus” of Gulen’s influence from state bodies.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 24, 2017 23:26 UTC