Turkey Issues 102 Arrest Warrants for Agriculture Ministry Staff Over Gulen Ties

Thirty of the 102 employees of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, who have alleged links to the movement of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen suspected by Ankara of masterminding the July 2016 coup attempt, were detained in operations in 27 provinces on Friday, according to local media.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Ankara has issued arrest warrants for 102 employees of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock over alleged links to the movement of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen suspected by Ankara of masterminding the July 2016 coup attempt, local media reported Friday.

Thirty of the 102 individuals were detained in operations in 27 provinces on Friday, according to the Turkish Minute media portal.

The detainees have reportedly been accused of being members of a terrorist organization.

The failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016, left 248 killed and thousands of people wounded. Following the coup attempt, the Turkish authorities arrested more than 41,000 people and fired or suspended more than 135,000. Many of them are teachers, public servants and journalists. Ankara believes that Gulen and his supporters were seeking to overthrow the current government with the coup.

Gulen has been living in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999. He has denied the allegations of involvement and condemned the attempted coup.