The coup attempt came at a time of transition in Turkey and was used by the government as an excuse to purge hundreds of thousands of political opponents from all parts of society.It also led the Turkish state to use all means abroad to crack down on institutions and people linked to Gulen.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced the death of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt. Despite Gulen's denial of involvement, his movement remains a designated terrorist organization by Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded to the death of exiled Islamic cleric Fetullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of orchestrating a failed coup attempt in 2016

Fethullah Gülen, a reclusive U.S.-based Islamic cleric, has died. Gülen inspired a global social movement while facing accusations he masterminded a failed 2016 coup in his native Turkey.

Turkey is committed to continuing to hunt down suspected followers of late Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Ankara on Tuesday, a day after the death of the US-based cleric was announced.

Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish cleric accused by the Erdogan administration of orchestrating the July 2016 attempted coup in Turkey, has died aged 83. The preacher, who had long lived in self-imposed exile in the US,