Photo Gallery Diminishing Strength
Uniforms and weapons belonging to soldiers involved in July's coup attempt. Since the failed putsch, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has conducted a mass purge within the military ranks.
His hardline position has drawn criticism, as many say it has seriously diminished the strength of the country's once proud military. Some say it could take generations before the lost experience and knowledge can be replaced.
Erdogan began the purge shortly after the coup attempt. Here, he reviews officers of the special police forces in Ankara in July.
Supporters of Erdogan wave Turkish flags in support of the leader and the country on August 7 in Istanbul in the wake of the failed coup.
On the night of the coup, a group inside the Turkish military temporarily seized control of parts of the country. The insurgents occupied the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul as well as state broadcaster TRT. Fighter jets bombed the parliament building in Ankara. But the government had regained control of the country by the next morning. Here, soldiers are seen surrendering in Istanbul.
The turmoil within the army has threatened the military's own security. Turkey invaded parts of Syria in August in order to drive the Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish militias out of areas located near the Turkish border. But following the purges, the ground troops aren't getting the air support they need because of an acute lack of personnel.
The Turkish military has long been an important part of Turkey's national identity. Its image has taken a hit as a result of the purges.
And that is also creating problems for NATO. Turkey has the alliance's second-largest military. A country that has long been an ally to the trans-Atlantic bloc is now threatening to become a detriment to it.
