Turkish coup d'état attempt

Arrested soldiers who participated in the 2016 attempted coup are accompanied by Turkish soldiers as they arrive at the court in Sincan Prison before trial in Ankara, August 1, 2017. Photo: EPA/TUMAY BERKIN

Akinci Air Base in Ankara was the headquarters of the plotters and the operations of the abortive coup attempt were managed there, including air strikes on civilians.

Turkish court jailed 337 former pilots and other suspects for life in one of the largest trials stemming from the bloody 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Turkish security authorities on June 8 launched multiple operations in various provinces to detain suspects affiliated with the FETÖ- the group behind the bloody failed coup attempt of 2016.

Prosecutors issued detention warrants for a total of 33 suspects, including 24 on-duty police force members, and security forces started simultaneous operations in 16 provinces.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on June 5 said that Turkish soldiers are approaching the "targeted plans" in Libya during the struggle they are leading with their "Libyan brothers.

Turkish police on June 5 detained at least 60 people for their suspected links to FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, security sources said.

Turkey's Transport and Infrastructure Minister has been removed from his post by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to a decree published on the Official Gazette early on March 28. 

Cahit Turhan has been replaced by his deputy, Adil Karaismailoğlu, the decree said.

It did not provide a reason for the change or any further details.

A human rights report prepared by the U.S. Department of State includes "baseless accusations" about the state of human rights in Turkey, said the Foreign Ministry on March 13.

The part regarding Turkey's Human Rights Report "appears that it is far from objectivity and prepared with political motives," said the ministry in a written statement.

Turkish Foreign Ministry on March 11 summoned the Greek ambassador in Ankara over violations of Turkey's territorial waters and the detention of journalists, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Greece's envoy Michael-Christos Diamessis was summoned to the ministry in capital Ankara. The ministry called on Greece to end violations of the Turkish waters. 

A Turkish court issued a new arrest warrant on March 9 against businessman Osman Kavala, who was re-arrested last month after being acquitted in a separate trial, according to local media reports.

Kavala on Feb. 18 was acquitted from charges in connection with Gezi Park protests in 2013. He was re-arrested on Feb. 19, as part of a probe into the defeated coup attempt of 2016.

The European Union's high representative for foreign and security policies, Josep Borrell, has suggested to work with Turkey in addressing common challenges stemming from regional conflicts, as he met with Turkey's defense and interior minister late March 3.