6,000 detained as Turkey cracks down on coup plotters

Authorities have detained more than 6,000 people expected of being involved in the failed coup, an official confirmed on Sunday.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

17 July, 2016

More than 6,000 have been arrested since the attempted coup launched 48 hours ago [AFP]

More than 6,000 people have so far been detained by Turkish authorities as the government cracks down on those involved in the failed coup attempt, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Sunday.

"Now the clean-up operations are continuing. We have around 6,000 people detained. The number will increase above 6,000," he was added, as quoted by the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Among those detained was a senior air force general and other officers that were arrested by security forces at a key air base used by US troops for raids in Syria.

Brigadier air force general Bekir Ercan Van was detained along with over a dozen lower ranking officers on Saturday at the air force base of Incirlik in Turkey's southern Adana province, local news confirmed.

The detainees are understood to be undergoing interrogation by investigators, just 48 hours after the failed coup was launched.

On Saturday, a Turkish official told AFP that authorities believe the air base was used to refuel military aircraft "hijacked" by the coup plotters on Friday night.

Meanwhile in Greece, eight Turkish military officers who sought asylum in the European nation were charged with illegal entry and violating Greek airspace, according to their lawyer.

The men sent distress signals to a Greek airport in the northern city of Alexandroupolis before landing a military helicopter they used to flee Turkey on Saturday.