7 soldiers who attacked Erdoğan’s hotel in coup attempt captured in Turkey’s Marmaris
MUĞLA
DHA photo
Seven of the soldiers who attacked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s hotel in the Aegean resort of Marmaris during the attempted military coup on July 15 were captured during in operations on July 25.The three soldiers were identified as Maj. Taner Berber of the combat search and rescue team and two non-commissioned officers, İlyas Yaşar and Gökhan Güçlü.
In addition, the other remaining four soldiers were also captured in the ongoing operations, increasing the number of soldiers captured throughout the day to seven.
An operation by elite soldiers and police officers was still underway to capture a further 17 troops who attacked the hotel on the night of July 15, shortly after Erdoğan had left for Istanbul after being alerted to the coup attempt.
The teams have been searching for the fleeing soldiers by conducting searches of all vehicles at the entrances and exits of the district and conducting identity checks.
Gendarmerie teams have found a number of pieces of military equipment, including infantry riffles, guns and hand grenades belonging to the soldiers.
A total of 19 people were arrested as a part of the investigation into the failed coup attempt targeting the troops who attacked Erdoğan’s hotel where he was holidaying.
The president had left the hotel around 15 minutes before the attack but two police officers were killed in the ensuing clashes.
The 17 sought soldiers have been missing since the attack on the night of the coup attempt, which is said to have been organized by followers of U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.
Gülen, a former ally of Erdoğan, is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the government through supporters within the Turkish state.
