Turkey's education ministry reportedly fires 15,200 for ties to failed coup
DEVELOPING: Turkey's ministry of education announced Tuesday it sacked 15,200 personnel, including 1,577 university deans, for alleged involvement with a group the government claims plotted Friday's deadly failed coup, in the latest mass crackdown against government workers there.
The National Education Ministry said Tuesday that the staffers were in both urban and rural establishments, and that an investigation was launched against them, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
The government accused U.S.-based cleric Fetullah Gulen of plotting the coup and demanded the U.S. extradite him. Turkey sent dossiers containing details of Gulen's activities to the U.S., deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said.
Earlier, Secretary of State John Kerry said that while he recognized the need to apprehend the coup plotters, "We caution against a reach that goes beyond that."
Sweeping purges in the aftermath of the coup have seen the dismissal of thousands from the judiciary, police force, military, administrative and religious affairs departments.
Also Tuesday, Anadolu reported that Turkey's media regulatory agency canceled all broadcast rights and licenses for any media outlets linked to or supporting the group behind the failed coup.
The agency said the Supreme Board of Radio and Television voted unanimously to revoke permissions for "any radio or television outlet connected with or supportive of" the group linked to Gulen.
The vague directive doesn't identify specific media outlets, leaving it open for interpretation. Officials at the Turkish Journalist Association said they were discussing the new directive and had no immediate comment.
Domestic and international groups have condemned the crackdown against media outlets in the aftermath of the attempted coup.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.Turkey's education ministry reportedly fires 15,200 for ties to failed coup | Fox News:
