Turkey issues detention orders for 3,224 people

Turkey has issued detention orders for 3,224 people over alleged links to a failed coup, local media reports.

More than 1,000 had already been detained by Turkish authorities,  accused of secretly infiltrating police forces across the country on behalf of a US-based cleric blamed by the government for last July’s coup. The nationwide sweep was one of the largest operations in months against suspected supporters of the cleric, Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is now accused by the government of trying to topple him by force. The latest detentions came 10 days after voters narrowly backed plans to expand Erdogan’s already wide powers in a referendum which opposition parties and European election observers said was marred by irregularities.