Turkey's prime minister warns against 'revenge' on coup suspects

Turkey's recently appointed Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has warned against 'revenge' attacks amid a massive government crackdown on officials and military figures suspected of involvement in Friday's attempted coup.

MENA

1 min read

�� & agencies

19 July, 2016

The Tukish PM's statement came after government supporters attacked coup-backers [Getty]

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Tuesday warned against revenge in the aftermath of a failed coup targeting his government.

Yildrim's comments come after a wave of alleged attacks by government supporters on suspected coup plotters.

"Nobody can have a feeling of revenge. This is unacceptable in a state governed by rule of law," Yildirim said, referring to images purportedly showing government supporters physically attacking alleged coup backers.

He vowed however that whoever had acted against the law would be punished. "Today we need unity," he said.

Turkey has jailed over two dozen generals - including a former air force chief - on suspicion of planning Friday's attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government.

General Akin Ozturk - and other suspected plotters - have been paraded in front of cameras, and seen visibly distressed and showing possible wounds.

Yildirim was speaking after meeting nationalist opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Turkey's opposition parties have stood against the coup plot which has been blamed by the government on Erdogan's ally-turned-foe, US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.