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Turkish authorities to shut down dozens of media outlets

Amid a state of emergency, 45 newspapers, 16 television stations and three news agencies have been closed, state-run news agency Anadolu said Wednesday.

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The swoop on newspaper staff came after authorities on Monday issued another 42 arrest warrants for journalists, including prominent veteran reporters.

The detentions were the latest in a purge in the wake of the attempted coup which killed about 290 people.

A total of 1,684 military personnel, including generals, were discharged from Turkish armed forces on Wednesday with a statutory decree after the failed coup attempt, local media NTV reported.

Since the failed coup Turkish authorities have suspended, detained or placed under investigation more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, teachers, civil servants and others.

“Those who are innocent should not be thrown into the fire with those who are guilty”, said Kilicdaroglu, the former head of Turkey’s social security service.

In a symbol of the military’s waning power in Turkey after the coup, the meeting will be symbolically held at the Cankaya Palace of the Turkish premier in Ankara and not, as is customary, at military headquarters.

More than 130 media outlets have been shut down, Reuters reported citing official sources.

Turkey’s government pins the coup on a shadowy network of Gulen sympathizers operating overseas and in the country, including in the media and a host of state institutions.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who survived the biggest threat to his 13-year domination of the country when supporters countered the plotters on the streets, has blamed the Jul 15 coup on the reclusive US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

“Until now, we have not received the backing and the statements that we, the whole of Turkey, expect from these countries”, said Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, who is also Erdogan’s son-in-law. The list comprised many regional media outlets as well as several Gulen-linked media that had already been seized by the state. The Dogan news agency said police raided his home in Istanbul early on Wednesday and detained him after a 2-1/2 hour search of the property.

Yildirim criticized what he called a “heartbreaking lack of support from the Obama administration” for Turkey’s extradition request.

However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed.

Turkish officials claim the religious leader plotted the attempted overthrow of the government this month.

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Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser contributed from Ankara, Turkey.

Under a portrait of Turkish Republic founder Mustafa