TURKISH authorities ordered the detention of 158 military personnel over their suspected links to a failed coup in 2016, the NTV broadcaster reported yesterday.

Security forces launched wide-scale operations across 41 provinces simultaneously upon the order of the prosecutors in Turkey’s western province of Izmir and detained 97 suspects, according to the report.

Prosecutors concluded in their investigations that the suspects, including soldiers on active duty and former military school students, have alleged connections 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.

(Xinhua)