ISTANBUL, July 27 (Reuters) - The Turkish military said on Wednesday that 8,651 soldiers took part in a failed attempt to overthrow the government earlier this month, accounting for about 1.5 percent of the army.
In a statement carried by Turkey's NTV television, the military said the soldiers belonged to a "terrorist" network led by Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric who has led a religious movement for decades.
The armed forces said 35 planes, including 24 fighter jets and 37 helicopters, were used in the coup attempt on July 15 when at least 246 people were killed and more than 2,000 were injured. It said 37 tanks and 246 armoured vehicles were also used in the coup attempt and added that it has the power to put down any further threats. (Reporting by Daren Butler and Akin Aytekin; Writing by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Ayla Jean Yackley)
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