ISTANBUL — Turkish authorities have dismissed more than 10,000 civil servants over their suspected links with US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for orchestrating the failed coup in July.
Thousands of academics, teachers and health workers were among those removed through a new emergency rule decree published on the Official Gazette late on Saturday.
Turkey has formally arrested more than 37,000 people and has already sacked or suspended 100,000 civil servants, judges, prosecutors, police and others in an unprecedented crackdown the government says is necessary to root out all supporters of Gulen from the state apparatus and key positions.
Meanwhile, the US State Department updated its travel warning on Turkey on Saturday, ordering family members of consulate employees in Istanbul to leave the country, citing threats against US citizens.
“The Department of State made this decision based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack US citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent,” the department said in a statement.
The State Department said the US Consulate General in Istanbul remains open and said the order does not apply to any other U.S. diplomatic posts in Turkey.
Saturday’s warning updates previous State Department advisories of “increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey.” The department advises US citizens to avoid travel to southeast Turkey and also advises caution on the risks of traveling anywhere in the country. — Reuters
