Turkey suspends 2 diplomats over coup probe
Two Turkish senior diplomats were suspended on Tuesday as part of the ongoing investigation against the Gülenist Terror Organization (FETO), held responsible for the July 15 coup attempt. Gürcan Balık and Tuncay Babalı carried out various duties at the Foreign Ministry and also served as ambassadors.Speaking to journalists in Ankara, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said a "precise" investigation is being carried out to avoid any injustice. Çavuşoğlu previously said ambassadors with suspected links to FETO would be suspended from their duties. More than 44,000 people employed in state institutions have been suspended from their duties so far amid a nationwide probe into the deadly coup attempt. The National Education Ministry announced earlier that over 21,000 civil servants working at the ministry were suspended, most of whom were teachers.The Defense Ministry said 262 military judges and prosecutors were suspended while 529 people at agencies linked to the Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Ministry were also suspended. Dozens of others have been suspended from the other ministries. They are all suspected of having links to the failed coup.