The attempted coup by a section of Turkey's military was an act of treason and is a reason to "clean up" the armed forces, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on early on Saturday, hours after the armed forces attempted to overthow him.

Erdogan also said in comments broadcast live on private station NTV that the attempted coup was the work of followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a cleric Erdogan has long accused of attempting to use his followers in the judiciary and military to overthrow the government.