Turkey expelled over 22,000 from army, military schools

By Alp Ozden

ANKARA

Defense Minister Fikri Isik has said over 22,000 cadets from the army and military schools have been expelled for links with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) following the July 15, 2016, defeated coup.

Giving figures in response to a question asked by main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) lawmaker Sezgin Tanrikulu, Isik said out of the total 6,511 were expelled from Turkish Armed Forces, while 16,409 others lost their cadet status after the coup bid.

Among the 16,409 cadets, 4,090 cadets were from military high school, 6,140 from non-commissioned officers’ college and 6,179 were students getting their bachelor’s degree from Turkish Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Gulhane Military Medical Academy and School of Nursing, the minister said in a statement.

FETO, led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, is accused of orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt to overthrow the elected government of Turkey. The bid left 249 people martyred and around 2,200 others wounded.