Turkey detains more than 18,000, cancels 50,000 passports

Turkish authorities have detained more than 18,000 people following the July 15-16 failed coup attempt, Interior Minister Efkan Ala told state-run televison TRT Haber on Friday.

Of them, 9,677 people have been formally arrested pending trial, Ala added.

Ala also said the passports of almost 50,000 people have been cancelled following the coup attempt

 1,300 labour ministry staff probed

 Turkey is investigating 1,300 personnel at the labour ministry over the failed coup attempt two weeks ago, Labour Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Friday.Turkish authorities have detained, suspended or placed under investigation tens of thousands of people in state institutions, universities, the police, media and other sectors since the failed coupSoylu also told Reuters in an interview the government would soon review its decision to bar civil servants from taking holidays.

A faction of Turkey's armed forces attempted to overthrow the government on July 15, but the coup attempt quickly crumbled when thousands of President Tayyip Erdogan's supporters took to the streets to defy the putsch.