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A Syrian government newspaper says the failed coup in Turkey was fabricated and aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the military.

The daily Al-Thawra said Sunday that the attempted coup was a plot by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to “avenge the military and strip it of its remaining popular support.”

READ MORE: Turkey detains more military officers, dismisses more judges in aftermath of attempted coup

It said police loyal to Erdogan “deliberately humiliated” the army in front of the people.

Erdogan is a strong backer of the insurgents trying to remove President Bashar Assad from power in neighboring Syria. The Syrian government views the rebels as terrorists.

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