Turkey arrests 238 people as part of a military investigation linked to the “2016 coup”

Istanbul – (Reuters):
Turkey’s state-owned Anatolia News Agency said, Tuesday, that Turkey has ordered the arrest of 238 people as part of an operation targeting those suspected of having links with the Islamic preacher whom Ankara says was behind the attempted coup in 2016.

The operation included six provinces, and it is part of a four-year campaign against the network of Fethullah Colin, a cleric residing in the United States of America, who denies any connection to the 2016 coup attempt in which more than 250 people were killed.

The agency said that 160 people had been arrested in the latest police raids ordered by prosecutors in Izmir. She added that the operation also targeted suspects in northern Cyprus, where Turkey is deploying forces from its army.

Among those targeted were 218 army personnel who are still in service, including six with the rank of Colonel, three with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and nine with the rank of Major.

Since the coup attempt, the authorities have detained 80,000 for trial, have dismissed or suspended 150,000 government workers and military personnel, and expelled more than 20,000 from the army.