Alwaght- A total of 754, mostly military officers, have been apprehended over the charges of military coup attempt, Turkey’s Justice Minister has announced.
Bekir Bozdag recent announcement almost doubled the figure at 336 announced by sources from the Interior Ministry earlier.
The state-run Anadolu Agency claimed those who were detained were members of what it called pro-Gülenist terror organization, referring to US-based opposition Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen.
However a US-based group of supporters of Gulen has rejected accusations of involvement in the coup attempt in Turkey, calling such allegations "highly irresponsible".
Turkey's Justice Minister Bozdag had informed that state prosecutors in all 81 provinces have already launched investigations on the coup attempt, saying “Detentions are mostly taken place in Ankara and Istanbul but there are other detentions in many other places of Turkey."
According Reuters, a organization close to Turkish Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen denied involvement in Friday's coup attempt against President Tayyip Erdogan. "We condemn any military intervention in domestic politics of Turkey," the Alliance for Shared Values group said in a statement. "Comments by pro-Erdogan circles about the movement are highly irresponsible," it said.
US-based opposition Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen
A Faction in the Turkish military officially declared a coup and martial law late on Friday, saying they have "taken control of the country".
In a TV statement, the army group said: "Turkish Armed Forces have completely taken over the administration of the country to reinstate constitutional order, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and the general security that was damaged. All international agreements are still valid. We hope that all of our good relationships with all countries will continue."
The prosecutor’s office has announced that at least 60 people were killed during the coup attempt. Earlier, it said 42 people had been killed in Ankara. In Istanbul, at least six people were killed and 150 taken to hospitals.
The coup attempt was partly suppressed by troops loyal to the government, police units and hundreds of Turkish citizens who took to streets after President Erdogan called on people to unite at squares and airports.
Pro-Erdogan Forces are fighting cop organizers to tale control of rebel-held areas and buildings.
