Turkish soldiers linked to Erdogan hotel attack remanded

By Durmus Genc

MUGLA, Turkey

Two soldiers involved in an attack on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s holiday residence during Friday's failed coup were remanded in custody in southwestern Turkey on Thursday, official sources said.

“Lt. Ali Saribey has been arrested by police officers during a vehicle check in the Ula district of Turkey’s southwestern province of Mugla,” said a statement issued by the province's governorship.

Meanwhile, another wanted soldier, sergeant Serkan Elci surrendered at a police headquarters in the province of Izmir on Thursday.

Both soldiers appeared before a judge in court in Mugla province on Thursday. The judge called for the soldiers to be remanded in custody pending further investigation. They were taken to a prison in western province of Izmir.

Ali Saribey and Serkan Elci are accused of being among the soldiers who attacked Erdogan's hotel in Marmaris, in southern Turkey.

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 of the coup attempt.

In last Friday's deadly coup attempt, at least 246 people were martyred and over 1,500 injured.

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

* Anadolu Agency correspondent Ahmet Sait Akcay contributed to this report from Ankara.