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Erdogan tells Reuters military to be restructured after failed coup

The Turkish president says a new coup is possible

LONDON, July 22. /TASS/. Turkish Armed Forces will undergo a rapid restructuring, Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan told Reuters on Thursday in what was his first interview with a foreign news media outlet after last Friday’s abortive state coup attempt,

He said a new coup was still possible but would be easy. "We are more vigilant," he added.

"It is very clear that there were significant gaps and deficiencies in our intelligence, there is no point trying to hide it or deny it," Erdogan said. "I told it to the head of national intelligence."

He indicated the state of emergency declared in the wake of the coup attempt might be prolonged beyond the three-months period declared initially.

Erdogan said the death toll had risen to 246 people excluding the coup plotters and that 2,185 people had been wounded.