Turkish soldiers hit by food poisoning

More than 700 Turkish soldiers are in hospital following an outbreak of food poisoning at their base.

A Turkish prosecutor said 21 people from the company that provided the food have been detained.

Akif Celattin Simsek, the lead prosecutor in Manisa province, said an investigation was launched with samples taken from the affected soldiers, the food and the water.

None of those in hospital was in critical condition.

Turkey’s defence minister Fikri Isik, who went to Manisa, said the ministry had cancelled the contract with the food company.

The governor’s office said 24 soldiers remained in hospital yesterday afternoon. There have been several cases of suspected food poisoning at military bases in Manisa, affecting more than 1,000 soldiers and killing one in May.