More than 130 Turkish citizens, including former soldiers, diplomats and their family members have sought asylum in Germany since the July 15 coup attempt, officials confirmed on Friday.
Speaking at the government's regular press conference in Berlin, Interior Ministry spokesman Tobias Plate said that, so far, 136 Turkish citizens with diplomatic passports had applied for asylum in Germany.
“As far as I know, there has not been a decision yet on any of these applications," he said, adding that authorities do not give priority to asylum applications by diplomatic passport holders.
Around 40 of the asylum seekers are believed to be Turkish ex-soldiers, many of whom were stationed at NATO bases in Germany.
Several military attaches serving abroad and a few former diplomats also sought asylum in the country, according to German officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Former Turkish officials who applied for asylum in Germany were recalled by Ankara following the foiled July 15 coup attempt.
Last month, Turkey's Defense Minister Fikri Işık called on German authorities not to grant asylum to ex-soldiers who had been dismissed from the Turkish military after the foiled coup.
Germany, which has a 3 million-strong Turkish community, is among the countries where FETÖ, led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, has a large network with dozens of private schools, businesses and media organizations.
A violent coup bid was witnessed on July 15, mostly in Turkey's cities, when the terrorist group headed by FETÖ Leader Fetullah Gülen attempted to topple the democratically-elected government.
Turkey's government says the deadly plot, which martyred at least 246 people and injured more than 2,100 others, was organized by followers of U.S.- based Fetullah Gülen.
Turkey has been conducting an extensive investigation into FETÖ following the coup bid of July 15, which targeted the democratically-elected Turkish government.
Tens of thousands of people have been arrested in the investigation following the coup bid, which Turkey blames on the terrorist organization headed by Fetullah Gülen.
The investigation has also led to a sweeping purge of the military, civil service, police, and judiciary, with tens of thousands more removed from public duty in post-coup purges.
