Turkey: Fugitive Coup Soldiers Captured Near Marmaris

All but one of the soldiers who are accused of trying to seize Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during last month’s failed coup have been captured.

Special forces arrested another 11 soldiers overnight after a two-week manhunt near Marmaris.

President Erdogan was on holiday at the south-western resort on the night of the coup, but fled before his hotel was raided.

Special forces located the fugitives in a forested area, reports say.

Since the failed putsch Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cracked down on those suspected of being linked to the coup.

Tens of thousands of people have been detained or dismissed or suspended from roles in the military, judiciary, civil service and education.

Over the weekend the president announced a sweeping reform of Turkey’s armed forces to bring them under full civilian control.

Turkish authorities accuse US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen of being behind the coup attempt, something he denies.

The rebel soldiers were spotted by villagers hunting boar in the forested area near Marmaris. Gunfire was exchanged during the operation but no casualties were reported.

The soldiers arrested in total last night include Major Sukru Seymen, the alleged commander, according to Anadolu news agency.

More than 20 other members of the military squad suspected of involvement had already been remanded in custody to face trial, the agency reports.

During the attempted coup on July 15 Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke live on TV via his mobile phone. He said he had narrowly escaped an attempt on his life.

According to official reports, the president’s security team was tipped off that a squad of soldiers was heading to his hotel and moved him.

Meanwhile, Turkey has summoned Germany’s charge d’affaires to the foreign ministry in Ankara to explain why President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was prevented from addressing a rally in Cologne via a video-link on July 31.

At least 30,000 rallied in Cologne in support of the Turkish president.

The German authorities said such messages could stoke political tensions among the three million ethnic Turks living in Germany.