The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is set to follow the example of numerous other state institutions that have established commissions to cleanse those public entities of people affiliated with the Gülen movement.
The infamous commissions are responsible for 100,000 people being sacked or suspended from state positions since a July 15 coup attempt for which the government blames the movement despite the movement denying any involvement.
According to the staunchly pro-government daily Yeni Şafak, commissions within the TSK will carry out investigations into most of the active-duty and contract military officers who graduated from the military academy after 1990.
The investigations will include inquiries about overseas trips, examination results from military school, training records and awards and certificates of appreciation received, the newspaper said.
The TSK has already removed 4,545 staff members from their posts over their alleged links to the movement since July 15.
Turkey survived a military coup attempt on July 15 that killed over 240 people and wounded more than a thousand others.
Immediately after the putsch, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government along with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pinned the blame on the Gülen movement, inspired by US-based Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.
Despite Gülen and the movement having denied the accusation and calling for an international investigation, Erdoğan — calling the coup attempt “a gift from God” — and the government launched a widespread purge aimed at cleansing sympathizers of the movement from within state institutions, dehumanizing its popular figures and putting them in custody. (Turkey Purge)