Identities of pro-coup fugitives released

Turkish authorities on Tuesday revealed the identities of several generals who've been on the run since the failed coup on July 15.

According to a military source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with media, two rear admirals, four commodores and a brigadier general are among the fugitives.

On Monday, Turkish Minister of Defense Fikri Işık said 311 soldiers, including nine generals and admirals, remained at large after the deadly coup attempt.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said the deadly coup attempt, which martyred more than 230 people and injured nearly 2,200 others, was organised by the followers of US-based preacher, Fetullah Gülen and his terrorist organisation FETO.

The high-ranking officers were identified as Rear Admiral Hayrettin İmran, Commodores Ayhan Bay, Nazmi Ekinci and İrfan ArabacI.

İmran is also the former commander of a naval base in the Golcuk district in the northwestern province of Kocaeli.

Another fugitive, Brigadier General Ali Kalyoncu, was the one who had reportedly ordered the tanks to proceed toward the center of the capital Ankara on the night of the bloody putsch.

The same source said the fugitive officers escaped in a boat belonging to the Turkish coast guard after reaching a pier in the İzmit district of Kocaeli province.

In addition, the police failed to get testimonies from Rear Admiral Mustafa Zeki Uğurlu and Commodore Ali Suat, for whom an arrest warrant was issued as part of a probe into parallel state members within the Turkish army.

The parallel state, a movement led by Gülen and his supporters, is a purported group of Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials embedded in the country's institutions, including the judiciary and police, who are allegedly trying to undermine the Turkish government.