Turkey seeks to detain 70 officers suspected of coup links

Turkey accuses Gulen of masterminding a military coup attempt (Pixabay photo)

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s state-run news agency says warrants have been issued for the detention of 70 military officers suspected of links to a network led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Anadolu Agency said prosecutors in the central Turkish province of Konya issued warrants against 58 officers still on active duty as well as 12 officers who were previously sacked from the armed forces.

Police operations to detain the suspects were underway in 27 provinces, the agency reported.

Turkey accuses Gulen of masterminding a military coup attempt in July 2016.

Gulen denies the accusation.

Turkey declared a state of emergency and launched a massive crackdown after the coup, resulting in some 50,000 arrests and the dismissal of more than 110,000 people from state jobs, including the military.