President reforms nation's military

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a new presidential decree on Sunday that introduced sweeping reforms to Turkey's military in the wake of a July 15 failed coup, bringing the Turkish armed forces further under civilian authority.

The decree, the third to have been issued after a three-month state of emergency was declared following the attempted coup, gives the president and prime minister the authority to issue direct orders to the commanders of the army, air force and navy.

It also announces the discharge of 1,389 military personnel, including Erdogan's chief military adviser who had been arrested days after the attempted putsch, the Chief of General Staff's charge d'affaires and the defense minister's chief secretary.