Turkish army soldiers take part in a parade in the northern part of Nicosia, the capital of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), on July 20, 2016 to mark the anniversary of of the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
ANKARA, July 31 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,389 pro-coup soldiers including President Erdogan's military aide were discharged from Turkish Armed Forces, the state Official Gazette announced on Sunday.
According to state-run Anadolu Agency, the discharged personnel include Col. Ali Yazici, former aide to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Lt. Col. Levent Turkkan, former aide to Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar.
Out of the total 1,389 names dismissed, 1,196 serve in Turkey's gendarmerie forces.
Under the statutory decree, Turkey's land, naval and air forces are now directly answerable to the Defense Ministry.
In addition, Deputy Prime Ministers and justice, foreign and interior ministers will also be included to the Supreme Military Council (YAS).
The decree also closes all of Turkey's war academies, military high schools that train non-commissioned officers, which will be replaced by a new university called the National Defense University under the Defense Ministry.
Meanwhile, the decree assigns Ankara's Gulhane Military Medical Academy and military hospitals across Turkey under the Health Ministry.
The new dismissals follow a previous post-coup expulsion of 1,684 military personnel, including 149 generals and admirals.
A total of 8,651 soldiers took part in the failed coup attempt of July 15, making up 1.5 percent of the military's total personnel, the Turkish General Staff announced.
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Spotlight: Turkey brushes off U.S. playing down coup purge as damage to IS fight
ANKARA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday described as "unfortunate" comments by U.S. officials suggesting that purges in the Turkish military after a failed coup were damaging cooperation in the fight against Islamic State (IS).
Speaking to media in an interview, Cavusoglu said that the Turkish army became more trustworthy, clean and effective in the fight against the IS after it has been cleansed. Full story
