A blast has been heard in Ankara.
Advertisement
Turkey’s prime minister said the attempted coup would be put down. “Canada supports the preservation of Turkish democracy, and condemns any attempt to subvert Turkey’s democratic institutions by force of arms”. The military said it was in total control. “Our people should know that we will overcome this”, Gen. Zekai Aksakalli, the commander of the military special forces, told the private NTV television by telephone.
“A military government would likely crack down on ISIS and extremist groups that heretofore the government had perhaps seen more in the light as a tool against Assad than a domestic threat”, Skinner said, using an acronym for Islamic State. He called on his followers to take to the streets to defend his government and said the coup plotters would pay a heavy price.
Nothing in NATO’s founding 1949 Washington Treaty says anything about intervening in the internal or political affairs of an alliance member, and Turkey kept its NATO membership following past military coups. Urges people to take to the streets.
Turkey has faced a series of terrorist attacks – the latest, just last month in Istanbul, when terrorists killed at least 42 people and wounded more than 100 at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport.
A coup against the democratically elected government could make it hard for the United States to continue to cooperate with Turkey.
2151 – A military helicopter opens fire over the Turkish capital Ankara, witnesses report an explosion in the capital. TRT has now gone off air. Speaking to a CNN Turk reporter via a cellphone video link he says it will meet a “necessary response”.
There are reports of gunshots in the capital Ankara. Kerry said he urged all parties to ensure the safety and well-being of diplomatic missions, personnel and civilians across Turkey.
2118 – Presidential source says president and government are still in power.
A statement from the military group read out on NTV television said: “The power in the country has been seized in its entirety”.
CNN Turk, which is part of the same broadcast center, reported that soldier have entered their building in the Dogan Media Center.
The U.S. embassy said it has seen reports that social media has been blocked.
The statement added: “all global agreements and commitments will remain”.
Turkish military jets have flown over Turkey’s capital, Ankara, and deadly fighting has been reported in what appears to be an attempted military coup.
It was several hours before the president was able to take to the airwaves to denounce the attempt by what he called a “minority” of the Turkish military to take power.
“Instability in Turkey has profound consequences for its relationship with the European Union and the issues of immigrants and for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation of which Turkey is a long-standing and military and politically significant member”. The chief of military staff, General Hulusi Akar, was among those being held but has now been freed.
Turkey’s president resorted to FaceTime in an attempt to rally people against a military coup.
Advertisement
“Right now – I’m going to have to close my window – there are helicopters flying overhead”, Mortada said early Saturday local time in an interview with PRI’s The World.
