Turkish Police Arrest Senior Military Officers in Coup Probe 

Turkish riot police stand guard in front of the Justice Palace in Istanbul March 31, 2015. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
Turkish riot police stand guard in front of the Justice Palace in Istanbul March 31, 2015. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
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Turkish Police Arrest Senior Military Officers in Coup Probe 

Turkish riot police stand guard in front of the Justice Palace in Istanbul March 31, 2015. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
Turkish riot police stand guard in front of the Justice Palace in Istanbul March 31, 2015. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

Turkish police arrested 15 senior military officers in an investigation into the network of Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of orchestrating last year's attempted coup, state-run Anadolu news agency said on Friday.

It said police were seeking one more officer in the operation, focused on the capital Ankara and spread across nine provinces, adding that 12 of the total 16 suspects were serving officers.

Among the suspects were seven colonels and nine lieutenant colonels from Turkey's gendarmerie force, which maintains security in rural areas, the Hurriyet news website said.

More than 50,000 people, including security personnel and civil servants, have been jailed pending trial in the aftermath of the failed putsch, which the government blames on US-based Gulen. He has denied involvement.

Some 150,000 people have also been suspended or dismissed.

Police operations targeting alleged followers of Gulen have been conducted on a near daily basis since the coup attempt in July 2016, and authorities issued arrest warrants for 44 teachers on Friday, Anadolu said.

The suspects were former teachers at Gulen-linked schools which were previously closed by state decree, Anadolu said.

Twenty-eight of the teachers were arrested so far.

On Wednesday, Fifteen Turkish soldiers were jailed for life for their role in the failed coup.

The men, most of whom were officers, were convicted of trying to take over the Istanbul headquarters of Turkey's ruling party during the thwarted coup, Anadolu reported.



G7 Statement will Not Mention ICC Warrant for Netanyahu

Protesters wave an Israeli flag and hold placards as they stand behind a banner reading, "Crime Minister" and demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just before his corruption trial opens, outside his residence in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. The placard in Hebrew reads, " Indictment: favorable coverage = lying to the public" REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
Protesters wave an Israeli flag and hold placards as they stand behind a banner reading, "Crime Minister" and demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just before his corruption trial opens, outside his residence in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. The placard in Hebrew reads, " Indictment: favorable coverage = lying to the public" REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
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G7 Statement will Not Mention ICC Warrant for Netanyahu

Protesters wave an Israeli flag and hold placards as they stand behind a banner reading, "Crime Minister" and demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just before his corruption trial opens, outside his residence in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. The placard in Hebrew reads, " Indictment: favorable coverage = lying to the public" REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
Protesters wave an Israeli flag and hold placards as they stand behind a banner reading, "Crime Minister" and demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just before his corruption trial opens, outside his residence in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. The placard in Hebrew reads, " Indictment: favorable coverage = lying to the public" REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo

A joint statement of Group of Seven foreign ministers is set to avoid mentioning the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite an effort by the Italian hosts to find a common position on it.

Italy, which currently chairs the G7, said on Monday it wanted to try to forge a common position about the ICC arrest warrant at a two-day meeting it hosted in the spa town of Fiuggi and which ended on Tuesday.

A draft of the final statement due to emerge from the discussions, reviewed by Reuters, did not directly name the ICC and its decisions.

"In exercising its right to defend itself, Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including International Humanitarian Law," it said.

"We reiterate our commitment to International Humanitarian Law and will comply with our respective obligations," the statement added, stressing "that there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel".

Last week, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

The move was strongly criticized by the United States but other states including Britain and Italy did not rule out that they could make an arrest if Netanyahu visited their countries.

Israel condemned the ICC decision as shameful and absurd. Hamas praised it as a step towards justice.