A staggering 15,200 education staff have been suspended by the Turkish government for alleged ties to exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen.

The Ministry of Education made the announcement after President Erdogan demanded that the United States arrest the Pennsylvania-based Islamic cleric, who he believes was the mastermind behind an attempted military coup.

More than 1,500 university deans have also been ordered to resign by Turkey's High Education board, state media reports.

The justice minister Bekir Bozdag has demanded that Gulen be extradited saying that all evidence points to him planning the uprising.

Turkey has demanded that the United States arrest and extradite a US-based cleric they believe was the mastermind behind an attempted military coup

Flags hang outside a religious school in the area of Istanbul where President Erdogan grew up

Bozdag told reporters outside the Turkish parliament building: 'We have more than enough evidence, more than you could ask for, on Gulen.

'There is no need to prove the coup attempt, all evidence shows that the coup attempt was organised on his will and orders.'

Meanwhile Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim accused Washington, which has said it will only consider an extradition request if clear evidence is provided, of double standards in its fight against terrorism.

In a defiant parliament speech, Yildirim said the fact civilians had been targeted in the attempted power grab by a faction in the military made it unprecedented in the history of Turkey, which last saw a violent coup more than 30 years ago.

In Taksim Square in Istanbul last night, crowds burned effigies of Gulen during a protest in support of the government

The Turkish government say that they have overwhelming evidence that Gulen was the mastermind behind the coup

Yildrim said: 'I'm sorry but this parallel terrorist organisation will no longer be an effective pawn for any country.

'We will dig them up by their roots so that no clandestine terrorist organisation will have the nerve to betray our blessed people again.'

He also warned against revenge in the aftermath of a failed coup targeting his government.

'Nobody can have a feeling of revenge. This is unacceptable in a state governed by rule of law,' Yildirim said, referring to images purportedly showing government supporters physically attacking alleged coup backers.

He vowed however that whoever had acted against the law would be punished. 'Today we need unity,' he said.

Around 1,400 people were wounded as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and warplanes in their bid to seize power, strafing parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul.

Authorities have suspended or detained close to 20,000 soldiers, police, judges and civil servants in the days since the coup bid.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim accused Washington, which has said it will only consider an extradition request if clear evidence is provided, of double standards in its fight against terrorism

Gulen has insisted he has had nothing to do with the military coup and even suggested President Erdogan, pictured, staged it himself to justify a major clampdown on opposition forces

However, Gulen has insisted he has had nothing to do with the military coup and even suggested Erdogan staged it himself to justify a major clampdown on opposition forces.

Speaking to Daily Mail Online from his remote Pennsylvania compound, he said: 'I have clearly expressed my stance against military coups and interventions. I have stated this 50 times - I cannot change course after reaching the age of 77 years of age.

'I believe in God and I do not bow before an oppressor,' he added, through a translator.

'If an international committee produces evidence I will accept it and gladly go to the execution chamber without blinking my eye.'

Soft-spoken Gulen also launched a scathing broadside against Erdogan, accusing the hard-line leader of going 'soft' on ISIS terrorists returning from Iraq and Syria.

'There are reports of members of ISIS being treated in hospitals and being released without investigation,' Gulen said. 'Other citizens do not receive the same compassionate and soft treatment.'