Turkey's top general rescued, hundreds of soldiers arrested

CNN-Turk reports that security forces have rescued the country's top army general in an operation in Ankara after a coup attempt, taking him to a safe location.

General Hulusi Akar was rescued after an operation was launched in Akinci air base, northwest of the capital, it said. Earlier reports said he had been taken hostage in the earlier stages of the coup bid.

Hundreds of members of the Turkish armed forces have been arrested across the country, with the government blaming the coup attempt on supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

754 members of Turkish armed forces were arrested for involvement in the coup, the agency said.

A Turkish official added that 29 colonels and 5 generals had been removed from their posts.