Turkey sacks country's only Christian mayor in crackdown

Turkey sacks country's only Christian mayor in crackdown
November 19, 2016 - 16:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The only Christian mayor in Turkey has been ousted by the government as it continues a crackdown following a failed coup attempt, Premier reports.

Februniye Akyol has been removed from her role as co-mayor in the city of Merdin. She was the only Christian to hold office in one of Turkey's 30 metropolitan municipalities.

The 27-year-old was elected in 2014 on the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) ticket.

In July the Turkish government said a bid by the military to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had failed.

At least 90 people were killed, with 1,154 reportedly injured, following a night of gunfire and explosions in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara.

Hundreds have been sacked as civil servants while the government has also deposed local elected officials and replaced them with temporary officials.

More than 30 mayors have been fired so far amid claims they have links with the Kurdish PKK party.

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Premier. Turkey purges only Christian mayor in coup crackdown
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