Turkey dismisses over 7,000 police, soldiers, ministry officials: report

By : AFP

Date: 14 July 2017 8:42pm WAT

Turkish special force soldiers stand guard at the courthouse on December 27, 2016 at silivri district in Istanbul. Almost 30 Turkish police will go on trial in Istanbul on December 27, 2016 charged with involvement in the July 15 coup bid, the city's first trial of alleged putschists. With indictments prepared against over 1,200 people, and some 41,000 under arrest in total, the trials following the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are set to be the most far-reaching legal process in Turkish history. / AFP PHOTO / OZAN KOSE

Turkish special force soldiers stand guard at the courthouse./ AFP PHOTO / OZAN KOSE

Turkey dismissed more than 7,000 police, soldiers and ministry officials under a new decree published Friday under a state of emergency imposed after last year’s failed coup, state media reported.

A total of 7,563 people — including police — have been dismissed in the latest purge, the Anadolu news agency reported.

Turkish authorities also stripped 342 retired army personnel of their rank, Anadolu said.

Earlier, Hurriyet daily reported that 7,348 people including 2,303 police — were dismissed in total.

The new decree came a day before Turkey marks the first anniversary of a military-led bid to seize power from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey blamed the failed putsch on US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who denies the accusations, and vowed to root out his “virus” from state institutions.

Since then some 50,000 people have been arrested and over 100,000 fired or suspended from their jobs.