Thousand fired in Turkey following state of emergency extension

More than 100,000 people have already been suspended or sacked so far in a crackdown on those alleged to have links to coup-plotters. Meanwhile, dozens of media outlets have been shut down in the sweep.

In the latest government decrees published late on Friday, 2,687 police officers were dismissed from their positions.

Meanwhile, 1,699 civil servants were removed from the ministry of justice, plus 838 health officials and hundreds of employees from other ministries.

Another 631 academics and eight members of the Council of State were also dismissed.

The dismissals are permitted under the state of emergency, which was extended by another three months in October, and was originally imposed in the wake of the coup.

But its scope has been vehemently criticised by the European Union and human rights activists.

The three decrees also ordered the closure of more than 80 associations accused of "activities affecting the security of the state".

Critics have claimed that the crackdown goes well beyond the suspected coup plotters and targets anyone who has dared show opposition to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ankara blames the coup plot on US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen and says an unrelenting campaign is needed to root out his influence from public life. Gulen denies the allegations.

Turkey also argues the exceptional security measures are necessary in the face of rising threats from the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

The country has been hit by two attacks this week, one claimed by the IS against a high-end Turkish nightclub, and the other which authorities blamed on the PKK in the western city of Izmir.