Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish Muslim cleric accused by Ankara of orchestrating the failed 2016 coup, has died at the age of 83 in the United States. Gulen, who had lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, passed away on Sunday, according to Turkish media and Herkul, a website associated with him.
Once a powerful religious leader and ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Gulen’s influence extended across education, media, and business globally. However, their relationship soured, with Erdogan blaming Gulen for the coup attempt that left 250 people dead. Gulen denied any involvement.
Since the coup, Gulen’s movement has been dismantled in Turkey, with thousands arrested and many institutions linked to him shut down. Despite Turkish efforts to extradite him, Gulen remained in the U.S. until his death.
