Turkey coup: 754 detained

Ankara, July 16 (IANS) Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag on Saturday announced that a total of 754, mostly military officers, were detained over charges of an attempted military coup.

This doubled the figure at 336 announced by sources from the Interior Ministry earlier on Saturday, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Anadolu Agency said those who were detained were members of the so-called pro-Gulenist terror organisation.

It was believed that there are high-ranking officers among the detained.

English roadcaster CNNTurk said four of them were generals and 29 of them were colonels.

Justice Minister Bozdag had informed that state prosecutors in all 81 provinces have already launched investigations over the coup attempt that started on Friday night, saying “Detentions are mostly taken place in Ankara and Istanbul but there are other detentions in many other places of Turkey.”

At least 60 people were killed in overnight clashes when people took to the streets defying the military to take over the country, Hurriyet Daily News said.

According to state prosecutor, 42 were killed in capital Ankara including 17 policemen.