ISTANBUL, July 15 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,335 military personnel have been arrested across Turkey in more than one year, over their alleged links to a network accused of orchestrating a coup attempt in 2016, the state-run Anadolu agency reported Monday.
Istanbul prosecutors have ordered the detention of a total of 2,494 suspects since November 2017, working in different branches of the Turkish armed forces, according to the agency.
Upon the order of the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Istanbul, Turkish police caught 2,154 military personnel in 16 separate operations across the country over their suspected membership with the network, the agency noted.
The report said 1,335 of them were arrested for allegedly contacting via pay phone with the network headed by the U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.
The Turkish government blames Gulen and his network for masterminding the coup bid in July 2016, in which 250 people were killed.
