Turkey to extend emergency rule for 3 more months

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said the government was preparing to extend the state of emergency for another three months, a media reported.

Erdogan said the current three-month state of emergency, imposed following the July 15 coup attempt, was not enough, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkey needs more time to clean all extensions of Gulenists and Kurdistan Workers' Party terrorist organisations, Erdogan said, referring to Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric accused of masterminding the coup attempt.

He noted that the state of emergency does not affect daily life in Turkey and is only for fighting terrorism more effectively.

According to the Turkish constitution, a state of emergency can be declared for a maximum of six months.

Erdogan criticised opponents to the state of emergency in Turkey and abroad, saying no one has the right to intervene in Turkey's domestic affairs.

On Wednesday, Turkish National Security Council proposed an extension of the state of emergency beyond the initial three-month period.

--IANS

sm/dg