The head of Turkey's Chief of the General Staff, Gen. Isik Kosaner, and the entire military command resigned after a row with the government on Friday, local NTV channel said.
The unprecedented move came ahead a semiannual session of the army's high command which decides on promotions and dismissals for senior officers. The session was scheduled for August 1-4.
Gen. Kosaner submitted his resignation over disagreements with the upcoming promotions during a meeting with President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The heads of the ground, naval and air forces have also stepped down, NTV said.
Gen. Kosaner was appointed chief of the General Staff session last August, when the government excluded a number of top generals from promotion, as they were defendants in an unresolved case accusing them of plotting a coup to overthrow Erdogan's government.
According to CNN-Turk, Kosaner's resignation could be a protest against the imprisonment of over 40 current generals and admirals allegedly involved in the plot known as "Sledgehammer."
The military wants to promote some of the jailed officers, but the government wants some of them to retire.
