Turkish soldier linked to Erdogan hotel attack captured

By Durmus Genc

MUGLA, Turkey (AA) – A soldier linked to an attack on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s holiday residence during Friday's failed coup was captured in southwestern Turkey on Thursday, security sources have said.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, told Anadolu Agency that Lieutenant Ali Saribey is accused of being among the soldiers who attacked Erdogan's hotel in Marmaris.

Saribey was captured by police officers during a vehicle check in the Ula district of Turkey’s southwestern province of Mugla.

The sources added that Saribey was armed and dressed in civilian clothes.

An operation is still underway to capture other troops who attacked the hotel on Friday night a short time after Erdogan had left the area for Istanbul after being alerted to the coup attempt.

More than 6,000 people, around half of them military personnel, have been arrested following the coup attempt, which is said to have been organized by followers of U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen.

Gulen is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the government through supporters within the Turkish state.

*Anadolu Agency correspondent Emin Avundukluoglu contributed to this report from Ankara.