Turkey Coup Updates: Death toll rises, demonstrators dare military takeover amidst curfew
As demonstrators dare military takeover in Turkey
Death toll ‘rises to 90’
The number of dead as a result of the coup attempt has risen to 90, the state-run Anadolu Agency reports, with 1,154 wounded.
It had earlier been reported that 60 people had died during overnight clashes, including many civilians.
Since then Turkey’s police chief has said at least 16 “coup plotters” have been killed in clashes at the country’s military police command.
The Anadolu Agency also reports that some 200 unarmed soldiers at the Turkish military headquarters have “surrendered” to police
The picture from Turkey is clearer on Saturday morning, with president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan insisting he remains in charge after a night in which a military faction attempted to overthrow the government.
But pockets of violence continue, with some of those behind the coup claiming to be fighting on.‘More than 1,500’ military personnel detained
EPA
A total of 1,563 military personnel have been detained across Turkey, the AFP news agency now reports, citing a government official. The BBC cannot confirm this number.
It had earlier been reported that 754 members of the armed forces had been arrested for involvement in the coup, with 29 colonels and five generals removed from their posts.
Reports also cited the police chief as saying that 16 “coup plotters” had been killed in clashes at the military police command, with 250 people detained there.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Reuters
Mr Erdogan, 61, came to power in 2002, a year after the formation of the AK Party. He spent 11 years as Turkey’s prime minister before becoming the country’s first directly-elected president in August 2014.
Mr Erdogan and his party have strong support from Turkey’s conservative Muslim base but he has faced criticism from outside the country over his silencing of critics, often by force.
Here is what we know:
The attempted coup
An attempted military coup has apparently been defeated in Turkey, in a bid to oust the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accusing him of undermining the country’s secular traditions.
Erdoğan, who returned to Istanbul in the early hours of the morning from his holiday in the resort of Marmaris, said the attempted coup was “treason” undertaken by “a minority within our armed forces”.
The president urged people to take to the streets in defence of the government, prompting chaotic scenes as thousands protested alongside tanks.
Prime minister Binali Yildirim said coup fighters using military helicopters would be shot down.
There were mass surrenders in Istanbul, with around 50 soldiers on Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul abandoning their tanks with their hands raised.
The head of the armed forces, General Hulusi Akar, who was reportedly taken hostage, has been freed.
But a pro-coup military faction insisted it would continue its fight and there were reports of ongoing clashes in Ankara, where a building in the parliamentary complex was bombed overnight.
Erdogan ‘has no one to blame but himself’
Michael Rubin, a Turkey researcher, analyses the reasons for the attempted coup in an article for Foreign Policy.
He writes:
“Was a coup inevitable? No. But those plotting it presumably believed they were saving Turkey from an increasingly out-of-touch and ideological leadership. Erdogan promised to rule on behalf of all Turks, but increasingly he does not.
“He promised to repair the economy, but corruption is rife, the currency shaky, and a recession could be on the horizon. He promised peace, but his combative policies isolated Turkey in the Middle East and estranged it from the West.
“He promised security, but Turks fear recent bombings are just the tip of the iceberg. At the same time, the coup plotters may believe that Erdoğan’s continual consolidation of power made this their last chance.”
On Friday Night:
This is not high-level coup, they would have got Erdogan himself. The call for people to take to the streets is risky, but the likelihood is that Erdogan will probably get through this. “But even if he does, it will have huge implications. It will make the EU refugee crisis harder to control and lead to a series of purges and crackdowns and curbs to media freedoms and human rights that could last indefinitely. This is a Nato ally. It is will have far-reaching repercussions.” -Eurasia head 11:47pm If you are going on holiday to Turkey – contact your tour operator, travel agent, or airline asap The Association of British Insurers said in a statement: “In light of the coup in Turkey, anyone booked to travel to the country should contact their tour operator, travel agent, or airline for advice. If alternative arrangements are made you should be able to transfer your travel insurance to the new destination. “You should regularly check Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice. Anyone in Turkey should speak to their tour operator or airline for advice.” 11:34pm Footage of the clashes apparently between police and army in Istanbul 11:28pm Military helicopters ‘open fire at National Intelligence Agency HQ’ The state run Anadolu agency has said that military helicopters have fired on the intelligence HQ in Ankara. Turkish military block access to the Bosphorus bridge, which links the city’s European and Asian sides, in Istanbul Turkish military block access to the Bosphorus bridge, which links the city’s European and Asian sides, in Istanbul CREDIT: REUTERS 11:24pm ‘In a country once dominated by generals, the army sees itself as the guardian of Turkey’s secular constitution’ The army seals off key bridges across the Bosphorus; jet fighters scream low over Ankara. Whatever the outcome of the sudden turmoil in Turkey, one fact is certain: the generals have been at loggerheads with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from the moment that he came to power almost 14 years ago, David Blair writes: Sometimes the struggle has been veiled; last night it appeared to spill onto the streets. But in a country once dominated by generals, the army sees itself as the guardian of Turkey’s secular constitution. Many officers regarded Mr Erdogan’s brand of Islamism – although relatively mild by regional standards – as a direct threat to the republic created by Kemal Ataturk in 1923. If the army has succeeded in taking power, the generals will have acted because their patience with Mr Erdogan finally cracked. There will also be a desire for revenge. Since he was first elected as prime minister in 2002, Mr Erdogan has conducted purges of the army high command. In 2003 and again in 2004, he accused senior officers of plotting a coup and placed hundreds on trial in the so-called “sledgehammer” cases. Read the full article 11:16pm Rally in Ankara 11:13pm Several reports of gunfire as protests grow There is now shooting at Istanbul airport apparently. The Turkish parliament building is surrounded by tanks. 11:09pm Live stream of street protests 11:07pm Boris Johnson: ‘very concerned by events in Turkey’ Britain’s new Foreign Secretary tweets: Mr Johnson’s great-grandfather was an opposition figure in the late Ottoman period, who was lynched during Turkey’s War of Independence in the early 1920s. 11:03pm Erdogan ‘at a secure location’ Turkish president’s office isn’t disclosing Erdogan’s whereabouts, saying he is at a secure location, AP reports. 11:01pm Tank apparently heading to the PM’s office in Ankara – and is blocked by protesters A military helicopter has reportedly opened fire over Ankara. 10:51pm Explosion at TRT television channel HQ, according to social media reports 10:47pm ‘Everyone is on edge. No one knows whether to trust the police and whose side they are on’ Here is another update from Gabriel Turner, 23, a management consultant on holiday in Istanbul (also quoted below from earlier this evening): Speaking from his hostel in Istanbul, Gabriel Turner, 23, from north London told The Telegraph that “everyone is on edge” as army jets circled the sky above the city: Once we heard the military were taking over we thought we’d better get back to the hostel. The streets were crazy, all the cars were going at about 100 miles per hour. It is so chaotic. Everyone is on edge. No one knows whether to trust the police and whose side they are on. I’ve been told to stay away from government buildings. Everyone was running and shouting, trying to hitchhike because everything had stopped, there was no public transport. We hit hiked for about three miles – there were 12 of us crammed in the back of a car. When we were on the way back, some boys said ‘stop there’s tear gas’. We decided to continue as it was the only way to get back to the hostel but I could smell something acidic in the air. 10:45pm More on Erdogan statement to CNN Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged people to take to the streets to protest against what he described as a coup attempt by a minority faction within the military, vowing that it would meet with a “necessary response”, Reuters reports He told a CNN Turk reporter via cellphone that Turkish people must gather in public squares to show their response to the attempted military takeover, in comments broadcast live on television. Erdogan said he believed the attempted coup would be over within a “short time” and said those responsible would pay a heavy price in the courts. He said the act was encourage by the “parallel structure” – his shorthand for followers of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric who he has repeatedly accused of attempting to foment an uprising among his followers in the judiciary and the military. “I certainly believe that coup plotters will not succeed,” he said, speaking on FaceTime via mobile phone in his first reaction to the move by the Turkish armed forces. “I urge the Turkish people to convene at public squares and airports. I never believed in a power higher than the power of the people.” Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech during an iftar event in Ankara, Turkey, June 29, 2016 Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech during an iftar event in Ankara, Turkey, June 29, 2016 ANKARA, Turkey – In a statement read on state television in Turkey Friday afternoon, the military said the armed forces have seized power there, in response to a rise in autocratic rule and increased terrorism. It was not immediately clear whether the Turkish government retained control of the nation. Late Friday, Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the military action “an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces.” He called on Turkish citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government. The president went on to say “I have never recognized any power above the will of the people.” by Taboola Sponsored Links Ad Content Mistakes millions of Britons make with their pensions Hargreaves Lansdown How The Game of Thrones Characters Are Supposed To Look Boreburn This game will keep you up all night! Stormfall: Free Online Game 26 Photos Of Tobago’s Most Beautiful Beaches The Guardian for BA Turkish media reported late Friday that military helicopters had attacked multiple targets in Turkey’s capital Ankara, including the city’s police headquarters and the offices of a satellite broadcaster. Other reports said soldiers had shot at people trying to cross the Bosporus bridge in Istanbul in protest of the coup attempt, and some injuries were reported. Top fox5atlanta.com Searches Atlanta Protests Dallas Shooting Shooting The prime minister of Turkey said earlier that a military faction engaged in what appeared to be a coup attempt. Military jets were flying over Ankara, and reports indicated vehicles had blocked two major bridges in Istanbul. Gunfire was reported outside the headquarters of the Turkish military. App users: Click here to watch video coverage  Soldiers blocked access to Ataturk Airport in Istanbul. A number of tanks were seen there. A news agency reports that soldiers entered the control tower there and stopped all flights. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told a Turkish broadcaster that Turkey would not allow any “initiative that would interrupt democracy”. Yildirim went on to say “There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy.” But in a statement published by a Turkish news agency Friday afternoon, the military claimed that armed forces have “fully seized control” of running the country, The statement also said “… all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue.” Video from Istanbul showed military vehicles on bridges there. Media reports indicated that ambulances were positioned outside the headquarters of the Turkish military. Related Stories Massive search after speedboat flips Police warn about THC-laced candy Truck attack kills 84 in Nice, France Protests lead to conversation with lawmakers U.S Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday afternoon that he hopes for stability, peace and continuity in Turkey. The Associated Press contributed content to this report. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta News App Now  by Taboola Sponsored Links Advertiser Content 12 reasons you should release equity Reader’s Digest Equity Release Mind-Blowing Details About Betwitched Revealed Trend Chaser Mistakes millions of Britons make with their pensions Hargreaves Lansdown 25 Stars Who Are Literally Unrecognizable Without Makeup StyleBistro 23 Biggest and Most Expensive Celebrity Homes Coupon Connections 10 Online Dating Sites that Actually Work Top 10 UK Online Dating Sites Stories you may be interested in – includes advertiser stories by Taboola. WATCH: President Obama addresses deadly attack in Turkey Turkish military claims to have seized power in coup Istanbul airport attackers seized on chaos to cause carnage Turkish flight arrives in Atlanta Turkish media reported late Friday that military helicopters had attacked multiple targets in Turkey’s capital Ankara, including the city’s police headquarters and the offices of a satellite broadcaster. Other reports said soldiers had shot at people trying to cross the Bosporus bridge in Istanbul in protest of the coup attempt, and some injuries were reported.
The prime minister of Turkey said earlier that a military faction engaged in what appeared to be a coup attempt. Military jets were flying over Ankara, and reports indicated vehicles had blocked two major bridges in Istanbul. Gunfire was reported outside the headquarters of the Turkish military.
 Soldiers blocked access to Ataturk Airport in Istanbul. A number of tanks were seen there. A news agency reports that soldiers entered the control tower there and stopped all flights. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told a Turkish broadcaster that Turkey would not allow any “initiative that would interrupt democracy”. Yildirim went on to say “There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy.” But in a statement published by a Turkish news agency Friday afternoon, the military claimed that armed forces have “fully seized control” of running the country, The statement also said “… all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue.” Video from Istanbul showed military vehicles on bridges there. Media reports indicated that ambulances were positioned outside the headquarters of the Turkish military.
U.S Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday afternoon that he hopes for stability, peace and continuity in Turkey. The Associated Press contributed content to this report.
EPA
Reuters
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