Turkey issues warrants for 23 military personnel over links to failed coup

Istanbul, May 7 Turkish prosecutors on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for 23 former and current military personnel over their suspected links to a network accused of orchestrating a coup attempt in 2016.

The state-run TRT broadcaster said 19 suspects, including soldiers on duty, former military school students and a police officer, have been detained so far in large-scale operations covering 11 provinces.

The simultaneous operations came after an investigation initiated by the chief prosecutor's office in the western province of Izmir against the network's members within the Turkish military, Xinhua news agency reported.

Operations are underway to capture the remaining suspects, according to the TRT.

The network led by US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen was listed as a terror organisation in Turkey and accused of infiltrating the state bureaucracy and military and then attempting a coup on July 15, 2016.

The government has launched a massive crackdown on suspects with links to the network in the aftermath of the coup attempt.

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