More than 6,000 arrested after Turkey coup attempt, says justice minister
The number of arrests will rise as ‘clean-up operations are continuing’, said Bekir Bozdag.
Turkey’s justice minister on Sunday said more than 6,000 people have been arrested in connection with Friday’s attempt at a coup. Bekir Bozdag added that the number of people arrested will rise, since “clean-up operations are continuing”. Around 265 people died in the attempted coup, and around 2,000 injured, BBC reported. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said the Parliament may consider introducing the death penalty after the incident.
Besides the thousands of soldiers who were detained, as many as 2,745 judges were also fired across the country. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has said those behind the incident will "pay a heavy price".
A section of the Turkish military late on Friday attempted a coup, flying warplanes over Istanbul and capital city Ankara. Erdogan called the move an “act of treason” and said the army must be cleansed, BBC reported. He blamed the United States-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen for the attempted takeover. Gülen, however, has denied any role in the failed coup.