Turkey detains 1,000 in anti-Gulen crackdown

Istanbul, April 26 

Turkey today detained more than 1,000 alleged supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, the biggest crackdown since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s victory in a referendum on ramping up his powers.

The dawn raids across the country to seek a total of over 3,000 suspects came just a week after Erdogan narrowly won public blessing for controversial changes to the constitution to create a presidential system.

They are the latest indication Turkey intends no let-up in the fight against its perceived enemies after the referendum, with fighter jets Tuesday pounding Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and northern Syria.

A total of 1,013 suspects have so far been detained in raids in all of Turkey’s 81 provinces, the official Anadolu news agency said.

Anadolu said 4,672 suspects were sought-of whom 1,448 are already in jail-meaning that a total of 3,224 arrest warrants were issued.

Turkish authorities blame Gulen for masterminding the July 2016 failed military coup that aimed to oust Erdogan from power but he denies the charges. About 8,500 police officers were involved in the nationwide operation. — AFP