More military expulsions appear imminent in Turkey
The Turkish government is investigating some 15,000 more military members suspected of being connected with the Gulenist movement, and 4,000 may be ousted soon.
It's looking like a new wave of government purges is about to crash down on Turkey's military. Statements from officials and developments on the ground signal the government is about to move on thousands of suspected members of the Gulen movement, which is blamed for the July 15, 2016, coup attempt. Security sources speaking to Al-Monitor confirmed the signs.
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, addressing a parliamentary committee Nov. 19, emphasized that even more than two years after the failed coup, the struggle hasn't ended against the Gulenist network. The network, which the government defines as a terrorist organization, is named after Fethullah Gulen, a Sunni cleric and Turkish national who now lives in the United States.
“We have [another] task to complete together with our Ministry of Justice," Soylu said. "Yes, we will be more at ease then, although it won’t mean that the threat is totally eliminated."
Soylu said anti-Gulen operations are “at a critical juncture." Until now, the most significant steps taken since the failed coup have been to identify and dismiss personnel who had downloaded certain messaging applications, such as Bylock, Eagle and Tango, to their smartphones or computers.
