Turkey: 350 police officers sacked following government corruption probe

About 350 police officers have been sacked in Turkey’s capital Ankara, following a corruption probe targeting people close to the government, reports say.

Officials, mostly from outside the city, have been named to replace them.

Hundreds of police have been dismissed or reassigned across Turkey since last month’s corruption investigation. Three cabinet ministers resigned after their sons were detained in the raids.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the police and judiciary of a “dirty plot”.

The arrests were carried out as part of an inquiry into alleged bribery involving public tenders, which included controversial building projects in Istanbul.

Those detained in the December 17 raids included more than 50 public officials and businessmen – all allies of the prime minister.

The latest round of police sackings and reassignments were carried out under a government decree published at midnight.

Those removed from their posts include chiefs of the financial crimes, anti-smuggling and organized crime units, the private Dogan News Agency reported.

The move comes as the government is trying to contain the fall-out from the corruption inquiry.

Many believe the arrests and firings reflect a feud within Turkey’s ruling AK Party between those who back Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and supporters of Fethullah Gulen, an influential Islamic scholar living in self-imposed exile in the US.

Members of Fethullah Gulen’s Hizmet movement are said to hold influential positions in institutions such as the police, the judiciary and the AK Party itself.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he would not allow “political plotting”.