Turkey’s president has declared a state of emergency for three months following Friday night’s failed army coup, the BBC reports.

Speaking at the presidential palace in Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed that “all the viruses within the armed forces will be cleansed”.

The declaration could be used to extend the detention of nearly 10,000 people rounded up since the failed coup.

More than 600 schools have been closed and thousands of state workers sacked in a crackdown by the president.

“This measure is in no way against democracy, the law and freedoms,” said Erdogan after announcing the state of emergency.

He praised those who were killed fighting against the coup as “martyrs”. Some 246 people were killed resisting the attempted coup, according to the government.

rdogan was speaking after holding meetings of Turkey’s national security council and the cabinet in the capital.