3 soldiers arrested over coup attack on Erdogan's hotel

By Durmuş Genc

MUGLA, Turkey (AA) - Three soldiers were arrested Wednesday over the attack on the hotel where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family were vacationing during the initial hours of Friday’s deadly coup, according to judicial sources.

In Friday's attack at the hotel in Turkey's southwest Mugla province, on the Aegean coast, two police officers were martyred in a gun battle and seven others injured. Erdogan has said publicly that if he had not left the hotel when he did, he might have died in the attack.

Maj. Gen. Gokhan Sahin Sonmezates, 1st Lt. Hasan Arslanbay, and Sgt. Serkan Elci were arrested in the Mugla province then jailed in the Aegean Izmir province, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media.

The deadly coup attempt took place late Friday when rogue elements of the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically elected government.

Turkey's government has said the attempted coup was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.

The failed putsch left 246 people martyred, including members of the security forces and civilians, over 1,500 others were injured as they protested it..

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 7,543 people, including 100 police officers, 6,038 soldiers, 755 judges and prosecutors, and 650 civilians, have since been detained.

*Fatma Bulbul contributed to this story from Istanbul.