Turkey extends state of emergency by 3 months for 7th time

Turkey's parliament voted Wednesday to extend the state of emergency imposed on July 20, 2016, by another three months for the seventh time.

Turkey declared a state of emergency for the first time on July 20, 2016, following a deadly coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which killed 250 people and left 2,200 injured.

In the year-and-a-half since, security forces have arrested thousands suspected of involvement in the coup bid - many holding positions in the government and military - and are thought to pose a continuing threat.

The National Security Council (MGK) had decided Tuesday to recommend the extension of the state of emergency for an additional three months for the seventh time. Deputy Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson Bekir Bozdağ said later Tuesday that the cabinet sent the motion to extend the state of emergency for three more months to Parliament.

Speaking in a televised interview on April 4, Bozdağ clarified the situation in regards to another extension of the state of emergency, saying that the ongoing fight against FETÖ makes it necessary to extend it once more.