The generals handed in their resignations in protest against the government’s ongoing dismissals in the aftermath of the failed coup attempt of July 15, sources said on Thursday.
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The total number of Turkish military personnel dismissed from their post topped 1684; the majority from the Turkish Army, including 87 generals, 726 officers and 256 sub-officers expelled from duty.
Two members of Turkey’s Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) stepped down on Thursday morning, little before a meeting of the committe aimed at restucturing it in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt, Turkish media report.
Gülen is also accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.
Gulen has repeatedly denied the claims.
Dozens of journalists have been detained, with arrest warrants issued for many more.
Before the crucial meeting, the Turkish government chose to change the command structure of the coast guard and gendarmerie, which will now be directly tied to the interior ministry. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246 people excluding the coup plotters and over 2,000 people were wounded.
According to the official gazette, three news agencies, 23 radio stations, 16 TV channels, 45 newspapers, 15 magazines and 29 publishing houses were also closed.
The session convened for the first time at the prime minister’s residence, the Cankaya Palace. Turkey has branded Gulen’s movement a terrorist organization and wants the cleric extradited.
Turkish officials have said they believe the coup plot was put into force in haste before the Council in August, when many officers suspected of links to Gulen would have been discharged.
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Elena Becatoros and Cinar Kiper in Istanbul, and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed.
