Turkish Government Extends State of Emergency for Fifth Time

Amid the ongoing arrests of people Ankara suspects of being linked to the organization it blames for last year’s military coup attempt, Turkey’s security measures remain in place.

ANKARA (Sputnik) – The Turkish government decided on Monday to extend the state of emergency for three more months for the fifth time, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said.

"The government made a decision to extend the state of emergency in the country for free more months. It was sent to the parliament for approval," he told reporters.

Earlier in the day, the country’s Security Council recommended the extension imposed as a response to the 2016 failed coup attempt in Turkey.

Over 240 people were killed, while nearly 2,200 people were wounded in the failed coup attempt. Ankara accuses the movement of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, referred to as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), of masterminding the coup.

Since then, thousands of military personnel, activists and journalists were arrested over suspected links to Gulen, who has been living in the United States since 1999. The cleric has repeatedly refuted all allegations.