Ankara: A total of 1,563 military officers were arrested across Turkey after a coup attempt blamed by the authorities on supporters of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, a government official said Saturday.

Turkey’s parliament, which was targeted by coup plotters and received extensive damage, was meanwhile holding an extraordinary session, broadcast live on television.

A Turkish official added that 29 colonels and 5 generals had been removed from their posts. At least 60 people were killed in the turmoil.

Turkey on Saturday appointed a new acting army chief of staff after an attempted coup to topple the government, the prime minister said.

General Umit Dundar, commander of the First Army, has been appointed as acting chairman of chief of staff, Binali Yildirim said. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said he did not know whereabouts of former army chief Hulusi Akar.