Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned Western countries for failing to show solidarity with Turkey over the recent failed coup.

Key points: Erdogan slams Western criticism of Turkey's post-coup crackdown

Erdogan slams Western criticism of Turkey's post-coup crackdown About 40 per cent of military generals and admirals have been dismissed

About 40 per cent of military generals and admirals have been dismissed Prominent journalists have been arrested and charged with being part of a terror group

Mr Erdogan also rejected Western criticism of purges underway in Turkey's military and other state institutions, with thousands of people detained, removed or suspended over suspected links with the coup attempt.

"The attitude of many countries and their officials over the coup attempt in Turkey is shameful in the name of democracy," Mr Erdogan told hundreds of supporters at the presidential palace in the Turkish capital.

"Any country and any leader who does not worry about the life of Turkish people and our democracy as much as they worry about the fate of coupists are not our friends."

Loading

Turkey's Western allies have condemned the coup in which Mr Erdogan said 237 people were killed and more than 2,100 were wounded, but have been rattled by the scale of the crackdown in the aftermath.

The purges have targeted supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of masterminding the July 15-16 failed coup, but Mr Erdogan's critics say he is using the measures to crack down on any dissent.

Turkey has also targeted journalists accused of links to Mr Gulen, causing further international alarm.

Seventeen were placed under arrest on Friday ahead of trial, charged with "membership of a terror group", the state-run Anadolu news agency said.

Those held include the veteran journalist Nazli Ilicak as well as the former correspondent for the pro-Gulen Zaman daily Hanim Busra Erdal, it added.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu defended the detention of reporters, saying it was necessary to distinguish between coup plotters and those "who are engaged in real journalism".

Military targeted in crackdown

Late on Thursday Turkey announced a shake-up of its armed forces, NATO's second-largest, with the promotion of 99 colonels to the rank of general or admiral and the dishonourable discharge of nearly 1,700 military personnel over their alleged roles in the coup.

About 40 per cent of all generals and admirals in the military have been dismissed since the coup.

Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik told broadcaster NTV on Friday that the shake-up in the military was not yet over, adding that military academies would now be a target of "cleansing".

The purges have also hit government ministries, schools and universities, the police, civil service, media and business.

The number of public sector workers removed from their posts since the coup attempt now stands at more than 66,000, including 43,000 people in education, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Friday.

The Director of US National Intelligence, James Clapper, said the purges were harming the fight against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq by sweeping away Turkish officers who had worked closely with the United States.

The head of US Central Command, General Joseph Votel, said he believed some of the military figures with whom the United States had worked were in jail.

The comments drew condemnation from Mr Erdogan.

"Instead of thanking this country which repelled a coup attempt, you take the side of the coup plotters. The putschist is in your country already," Mr Erdogan said, referring to Mr Gulen, who denied any involvement in the coup attempt.

In a statement released by the US military, General Votel said any claims that he was involved in a failed coup attempt in Turkey were "unfortunate and completely inaccurate".

Reuters/AFP