Two army officers alleged to be among the leaders of last week's failed coup in Turkey were remanded in custody when they appeared separately in court late Tuesday, a military official said.
Lt. Gen. Metin Iyidil, commander of the Land Forces Training and Doctrine Command, and Col. Muharrem Köse, the former legal adviser to the chief of general staff, appeared in different courts in capital Ankara, the official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.
The source did not reveal the exact charges against the officers.
Meanwhile, the head of the gendarmerie, Gen. Galip Mendi, was relieved of duty late Tuesday due to illness. Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Yaşar was appointed acting chief of the service.
On July 15, a small military junta linked to the Gülenist Terror Organization (FETÖ) attempted to topple the democratically elected government in Turkey and bring martial law. The attempt was prevented by military troops loyal to the government, along with police units and millions of Turkish citizens in favor of democracy. 208 people, consisting of mostly civilians, have been killed by pro-coup soldiers, while over 1,400 people were injured. Turkey's opposition parties have united against the coup attempt, condemning it in the harshest terms and underscoring their determination to preserve democracy and the rule of law in Turkey.
Nearly 1,000 suspected coup supporters have been remanded to custody by courts following Friday's coup attempt, including 72 other high-ranking military members.
At least 240 people were killed in the attempt to overthrow the government, including 173 civilians.