Turkey fires 28,000 teachers over coup, Kurdish militant links

September 20, 2016 00:57

Turkey has fired almost 28,000 teachers and suspended more than 9,000 others for suspected links to the failed July coup and Kurdish militants, deputy prime minister Nurettin Canikli said on Monday.

Hours after some 18 million children finished their first school day since the July 15 coup bid, Canikli said a total of 27,715 had been dismissed from the profession this summer.

Speaking to reporters in Ankara after a cabinet meeting, Canikli said "so far 455 teachers have been able to return" to work after investigations proved they had no links to Kurdish militants or the Hizmet (Service) movement led by Fethullah Gulen.

Ankara blames US-based preacher Gulen for orchestrating the coup, and has repeatedly demanded that Washington extradite him.

Ankara also claims he is the head of a terrorist organisation running a parallel state in Turkey.

Gulen strongly denies all of the accusations.

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