Turkish military attaché to Kuwait held in Dammam

Jeddah, Jul 18: Saudi authorities in Dammam have detained Turkey's military attaché to Kuwait upon request of the Turkish government, Al Arabiya online news reported Sunday midnight.

Quoting Saudi sources, Al Arabiya said the military officer, Mikael Ihsanoglu, was to board a plane at Dammam Airport on his way to the city of Dusseldorf, Germany, passing through Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The detention request comes as the Turkish government launched a massive crackdown against participants of a bloody coup attempt that began on Friday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the Turkish people to go out on the streets and stop the coup plotters, which they did. The coup attempt faltered on Saturday as loyal troops rallied behind Erdogan.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman had congratulated Erdogan for his success in quelling the power grab attempt.

A statement by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Sunday said King Salman telephoned Erdogan and "congratulated him on Turkey's return to normalcy and expressed Saudi Arabia’s welcoming of the security and stability restored by the leadership of his excellency (Erdogan) and the continuation of the activities of the Turkish government.”

Erdogan "thanked the King Salman for his sincere feelings and keen interest in what is happening in Turkey, praising the distinguished relations between the two brotherly countries," said the statement.

On Sunday, Turkey's justice minister said more than 6,000 military personnel and judges have been detained and under investigation for their alleged role in the coup plot.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency reported that 70 generals and admirals, including former air force commander Gen. Akin Ozturk, have been detained as part of ongoing investigations.

Citing the office of the governor of Ankara, Anadolu also said149 police personnel have been detained in the capital .

Of the generals and admirals brought before court, 11 have been put under arrest so far as of Sunday night. The rest are awaiting processing.

Dogan news agency, meanwhile, reported 42 police officers have been dismissed from duty in the southeastern province of Batman.

The new death toll from Friday's failed coup attempt in Turkey is 294.

A Turkish official says more than 190 citizens, most of them military, were killed and more than 1,400 people were wounded in Friday's failed coup attempt.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government rules, said the fatalities excluded "terrorists" in reference to those who acted against the government.

At last count, government officials said at least 104 conspirators were killed in the unrest.