Turkey dismisses some 4,500 more state employees

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s government has sacked nearly 4,500 more state employees as it appeared to press ahead with a purge of people with suspected links to a U.S.-based cleric accused of orchestrating a failed military coup.

With a decree issued Tuesday, some 2,600 people were fired from the Education Ministry, close to 900 were dismissed from the paramilitary police and 400 others from the police over “national security” concerns. Also sacked were employees of the state-owned television, the appeals court and the elections board.

Turkey declared a state of emergency following the July 15 coup attempt and embarked on a clampdown on Fethullah Gulen’s movement, purging from government positions more than 100,000 of his followers who are accused of infiltrating the military, police and civil service.

Gulen denies involvement in the coup.