Nine civilians have been arrested while 15 military members were detained in separate police operations targeting alleged followers of the Gülen movement, accused by the Turkish government of masterminding a failed coup in July 2016.
As part of an investigation based in the central province of Konya, detention warrants were issued for 29 active and former military officers on accusations of Gülen movement membership. Fifteen of the officers were detained in police operations across 18 provinces, while operations continue for the detention of the remaining 14.
In another investigation based in central Tokat province nine civilians who had previously been detained were arrested on accusations of Gülen movement membership. They are accused of re-structuring the movement.
The Turkish government considers followers of the movement “terrorists” and has been conducting a large-scale crackdown targeting them. Interior
Minister Süleyman Soylu in March 2019 reported that more than half a million people had been detained by police in the post-coup crackdown over alleged Gülen links.