Ankara, Turkey has sacked another 18,000 state

workers, in the latest purge triggered by a failed coup two years ago.

Those dismissed include soldiers, police and academics. A TV

channel and three newspapers have also been closed.

Since the coup attempt, the government has fired more than

125,000 people, introduced emergency rule and clamped down on the

media and the opposition.

The move comes as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is

preparing to be sworn in with sweeping new powers tomorrow

(Monday).

He has promised to lift the state of emergency.

Last month, President Erdogan was re-elected with 53% of the

vote. He has presided over a strong economy and built up a solid

support base, the BBC reported.

Source: Oman News Agency