Police have detained the general manager of a company that provided the food resulting in the hospitalization of 590 Turkish soldiers in western Manisa province.
A total of 39 individuals were detained in connection with the incident, including other employees and executives of the catering company that supplied the military base's food, and 25 of those individuals have been taken to court.
The poisoning came to light on June 17, when 590 soldiers were treated for nausea and vomiting. The food poisoning was not the first incident of its kind at military bases in Manisa, as similar cases have occurred since late May.
A total of 731 soldiers were affected by the food, and 590 soldiers required medical treatment. Of that number, 372 were taken to hospitals in the area and the rest were treated within the base. While none were in critical condition, 72 soldiers remained in the hospital as of June 18.
On May 23, more than 1,000 soldiers were hospitalized by tainted food in the same military compound, resulting in one death.
Meanwhile, 35 soldiers who were dispatched to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) after completing their training in Manisa were also hospitalized with similar symptoms.
Authorities have said that it is too early to reach a conclusion regarding the cause of illness as not all the soldiers treated for poisoning had consumed the same foods. The early poisoning cases were linked to salmonella bacteria found in meals that were served at the bases.
Poisoning cases reported at three separate military bases in the same city have angered the public. Social media users called for a thorough investigation while some have speculated that soldiers might have been "deliberately" poisoned.
The Manisa governorate announced yesterday that food services from the catering firm have been suspended.
