Afghanistan Releases Detained Turkish Teachers Linked With Gulen Movement

Afghan authorities have released four teachers linked with Gulen movement, an arch-rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government, after keeping them in detention for several days, local media reported on Sunday.

Last week, Afghanistan Intelligence Agency arrested three Turkish teachers and one Aghan teacher who were working at Afghan-Turkish High School near Kabul. It prompted rights groups to demand their release.

An official working for the National Directorate of Security confirmed in remarks to 1TV on Sunday that the teachers were released.

There a number of Turkish schools run by Afghan-Turk CAG Educational (ATCE) in Afghanistan. President Erdogan’s crackdown on Gulen movement extended into countries in Africa and Asia where he sought to shut down Gulen-affiliated schools through demands or overtures to the governments.

The Turkish leader blames the group for a failed coup in 2016 summer but both U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen and his supporters strongly deny claims.