TURKISH President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued his crackdown on political opponents yesterday — at home and abroad.

Police raided homes and council buildings in the provincial capitals of Tuncelli and Siirt in the majority Kurdish south-east yesterday morning.

They arrested mayors and councillors along with officials of pro-Kurdish parties, including the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) whose co-chairs are under arrest along with nine of its other MPs.

The crackdown is also being felt outside of Turkey as Pakistan ordered 400 Turkish staff at a chain of 28 private schools and their families to leave the country within 72 hours ahead of a visit by Mr Erdogan.

Turkey alleges that the PakTurk International chain is part of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen’s global empire of private schools.

Mr Gulen, an erstwhile ally of Mr Erdogan, is accused of masterminding July’s failed military coup. The US is yet to respond to Turkish requests for his extradition.

Mr Erdogan praised Pakistan’s decision which he said showed solidarity with Turkey against Gulen’s movement.

“They moved rapidly in the direction of ending the [Gulen movement’s] presence in Pakistan and toward thwarting their attempts at unrest,” he said.

One of the school’s officials denied that PakTurk International has any link to Mr Gulen saying that the institutions are registered locally.

Of those being forced to leave Pakistan 108 are staff while the rest are family members, many of whom are unable to exit the country under such short notice.

Management of the school chain have challenged the order in Islamabad’s High Court with a hearing expected to take place today.