Several Turkish diplomats are on the run after missing a deadline to return to Ankara following last month's failed coup.

Two military attaches based in Greece, who had been told to return home, have fled to Italy according to Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Two civil servants based in Bangladesh, meanwhile, are understood to have travelled to New York, while another has fled to Japan through Moscow.

A Look At The Events Proceeding Turkey's Failed Coup

Mr Cavusoglu told Turkish private broadcaster NTV the deadline for Turkish diplomats recalled to Ankara as part of investigations into the attempted coup expired on Thursday.

He said a military attache based in Kuwait had also attempted to escape through Saudi Arabia, but had been sent back, as well as two generals based in Afghanistan who had been caught in Dubai and sent back to Turkey.


He warned that legal action will be taken against those who fail to return.

Turkey PM: Those Involved In Coup Were 'Terrorists'

Turkey has suspended, detained or placed under investigation tens of thousands of soldiers, police officers, civil servants, teachers, bureaucrats and others since rogue members of the armed forces attempted to seize power on 15 July.

Some 17,740 people have been formally arrested over the last few weeks and 5,685 remain in custody, according to one senior Turkish official.

Forty percent of military generals have been discharged and almost 76,100 civil servants have been suspended, according to Turkey's interior minister.

Thousands Still Held After Turkey Coup Attempt

Mr Cavusoglu said Turkish authorities have established that the military attaches who fled Greece had left for Italy on a ferry with their families on 6 August.

He said Turkey has also asked Washington for information on a Turkish military official based in the US who is reportedly seeking asylum there after being recalled, but has not yet received a response.

He also repeated a demand that the extradition of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of masterminding the coup attempt.

The cleric denies any involvement.

A senior Turkish official told Reuters news agency that Turkey's military attache in Bosnia is also missing, although that has been denied by a press officer at the embassy.

"Turkey's military attache in Bosnia was not called to Ankara, he is doing his business as usual," the press officer said.