Alwaght- Post-coup purge in Turkey continues unabated as the country’s prosecutor orders the arrest of 85 staff at the energy and education ministries.
Warrants were issued early on Tuesday while at least 40 were taken into custody until 10.40 pm local time.
Meanwhile, another thirty-three health personnel including the chief physician of a hospital and a nutritionist were detained as part of an investigation into the Gulen movement in the eastern province of Adiyaman, on Monday.
Local media sources say the 33 suspects are accused of taking part in the movement’s alleged organization within the health industry.
Turkish government has pinned the blame for the July 15, 2016 coup attempt on the movement and detained more than 120,000 people as part of its crackdown targeting supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen,
Since the failed July 2016 coup, President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has purged people alleged to be Gulen sympathizers and frozen their bank accounts and seized passports.
Last month, Erdogan declared victory in a referendum to grant him sweeping powers and conduct a major overhaul of Turkish politics.
Erdogan arrived in Washington on Tuesday where he is expected to push for Gulen’s extradition during talks with US president Donald Trump.
Gulen’s followers are worried that Erdogan might convince Trump to start the process of deporting the opposition leader as part of a deal on Syria and other issue between the two NATO allies.
Ahead of Erdogan’s visit, Turkey’s Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag this month asked US Attorney General Jeff Sessions to place Gulen under provisional arrest.
