Turkish opposition leader Gülen dies in US
Photo: Fethullah Gülen (Getty Images)
Turkish opposition leader and founder of the Hizmet movement, Fethullah Gülen, has died in the United States at the age of 83, reports Hürriyet.
Gülen's health had significantly deteriorated in recent months. In addition to diabetes and kidney failure, he developed dementia.
Sources indicate that Gülen's declining condition is linked to internal conflicts within the organization, including a struggle for control over financial resources between European and American members.
Who is Fethullah Gülen?
Fethullah Gülen was a Turkish public and religious figure, a journalist, and a former Islamic preacher. He moved to the United States in 1999 for medical treatment and had not returned to his homeland since then.
Gülen was considered one of the main opponents of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Following the failed coup attempt in 2016, he and his movement were accused of orchestrating the coup. Turkish authorities also claimed that Gülen's supporters had infiltrated key state institutions, including the military, police, judiciary, and ministries.
During the coup attempt on the night of July 16, 2016, airstrikes targeted Istanbul and Ankara, and tanks were deployed to the streets. As a result of these events, 161 people were killed, and another 1,440 were injured.
A Turkish court sentenced 74 individuals to life imprisonment for their involvement in the coup attempt. Ankara has consistently demanded Gülen's extradition from the United States, accusing the US government of supporting his organization, FETO.
