ANKARA, July 16. /TASS/. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the Islamic cleric and leader of Hizmet opposition movement, Fethullah Gulen, who now resides in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, should be extradited to Turkey, he said at a meeting in Istanbul on Saturday.

Ankara says Gulen and his followers were involved in the recent military coup attempt.

On Friday night, a group of insurgents attempted a coup in Turkey. Major clashes erupted in Ankara and Istanbul. Bombs were dropped on the parliament building and the presidential palace in Ankara. On Saturday the country’s leadership said that the coup was quashed. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that the situation is under control of the official government. According to him, 161 people were killed in the military coup attempt, 1,440 more were injured. However, casualties among the insurgents are not included in the death toll.

Forces inside Turkey seek to split army and people

Some forces in Turkey "are determined to split the army and Turkish people," the Al Jazeera television channel said on Saturday, citing Erdogan.

Erdogan says that "a small group of servicemen but not the whole Turkish army" had launched a coup.

On Friday night, a group of insurgents attempted a coup in Turkey. Major clashes erupted in Ankara and Istanbul. Bombs were dropped on the parliament building and the presidential palace in Ankara. On Saturday the Turkish leadership said that the coup was quashed and the government regained control in the country. According to the latest reports, the death toll has climbed to 265 and 1,440 more were injured.