The Turkish government fired 16 provincial police chiefs in a new mass purge Wednesday as a corruption scandal rocking Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan deepened.

The Turkish government fired 16 provincial police chiefs in a new mass purge Wednesday as a corruption scandal rocking Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan deepened.

Among those dismissed were police from several big cities and provinces including Ankara, Izmir, Antalya and Diyarbakir as well as the deputy head of national security, under a decree signed by Interior Minister Efkan Ala.

The latest purge comes just a day after the government fired 350 police officers in the capital Ankara -- bringing the total number sacked to over 700 since mid-December when the graft scandal broke, according to local media tallies.

Media reports Tuesday also said another 25 people had been detained on suspicion of bribery and fraud in the widening corruption probe that has targeted several key Erdogan allies.

The turmoil has rocked Erdogan's government to its very core just weeks before crucial local elections in March and has sent Turkish financial markets tumbling.