Ankara accused Gülen, who lived in the United States, of being behind the failed coup to overthrow Erdoğan in 2016, an accusation Gülen denied.
Fethullah Gülen, academic, preacher and former ally turned enemy of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accused by Ankara of plotting the 2016 coup, is believed to have died in the United States where he was based.
Several Turkish media and a website close to Mr. Gülen announced his death.
Herkul, a website that publishes Gulen’s sermons, said on its X account that Gulen, 83, died Sunday evening at the hospital where he was being treated.
Mr. Gülen, who founded a powerful religious movement in Türkiye known as Hizmethad gone into exile in Pennsylvania after falling out with Mr. Erdoğan and his AKP party.
Hizmet, also known as FETÖ as Ankara called it after labeling it a terrorist organization, is believed to have operated within a vast network of tens of thousands of people in influential positions.
Ankara had accused Gülen of being behind the 2016 putsch attempt.
THE failed coup d’état of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which aimed to oust Erdoğan from power, left 251 dead and nearly 2,200 injured after part of the army took control of tanks, jets and helicopters.
The Turkish government then took a series of repressive measuresarresting judges, army officers and soldiers, as well as journalists, and suspending some 20,000 teaching licenses, particularly for those who worked in schools in Turkey and abroad allegedly linked to Hizmet .
Mr. Gülen denied any involvement in the Eta coupt. “I really don’t know 0.1% of the members of this movement,” Mr. Gülen had said in the past. “I didn’t do much. I just said what I believe.”
