The Turkish government has fired 87 members of the state security agency as part of its ongoing crackdown in the wake of a failed coup attempt in July.
Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported on September 27 that the 87 officials of the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) had been fired for suspected links with cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the United States and whom Ankara accused of organizing the coup bid.
Gulen denies all involvement.
Also on September 27, Ankara issued arrest warrants for 121 employees of a Gulen-connected aid organization, Kimse Yok Mu, which was closed down in July.
The government has detained more than 40,000 people on suspicion of connection with the coup and has fired tens of thousands more from government jobs.
A total of 141 MIT staffers have been suspended since the crackdown began.