Thousands of teachers suspended in Turkey over alleged PKK linksSeptember 9, 2016 - 11:36 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - More than 11,000 teachers in Turkey have been suspended for alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a week before children go back to school, according to BBC News. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had said he thought as many as 14,000 teachers were associated with terror activities. Turkey, alongside Western countries, regards the PKK as terrorists. Tens of thousands of school workers and private teachers were purged separately after a failed coup in July. Tens of thousands of people have died in a decades-long insurgency by the PKK, who want more self-rule for Kurdish people. Turkey's education ministry said 11,285 teachers had been suspended and were on paid leave pending an investigation. The state-run Anadolu news agency said they were suspected of activities "in support of the separatist terrorist organisation and its affiliates". It also said the number was meant to grow to 14,000 after an investigation carried out alongside local governors' offices. It is not clear what part of the country the suspended teachers are mainly from, but Turkey's Kurdish population is concentrated in the south-east, near the borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran. There are 850,000 teachers in Turkey, meaning the suspensions only affect less than 2% of teachers. However earlier this year, 15,200 education ministry officials lost their jobs and 21,000 private school teachers had their licences revoked, amid a crackdown on followers of cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed for the failed 15 July coup. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |