Kerry said he had stressed in a telephone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu the United States’ “absolute support” for Turkey’s democratically elected, civilian government and democratic institutions. Airborne shelling at several locations included the ruling AK Party headquarters, the presidential complex and the General Staff, Anadolu News Agency said.
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The head of the armed forces, General Hulusi Akar, who was reportedly taken hostage, has been freed.
Rebel soldiers in Ankara and Istanbul were still firing from the air early on Saturday, although fighter jets have taken off to deal with rogue military aircraft, he added.
Parliamentary Speaker Ismail Kahraman early Saturday said that 1374 pro-coup figures have been detained across Turkey during an emergency meeting at the parliament.
German-Turkish relations have come under increasing strain in recent months, with Berlin criticising Ankara’s tough line against dissenting journalists and the country’s Kurdish minority.
The US White House said “all parties in Turkey should support the democratically elected government of Turkey, show restraint, and avoid any violence or bloodshed”.
1997 – also known as “post-modern coup”.
Turkey’s armed forces said on Friday they had taken power in the country to protect the democratic order and to maintain human rights.
The sharp-tongued Erdogan is often accused of authoritarian rule at home and has frequently fallen out with neighbors such as Israel, Iran, Russia and the European Union as he tried to carve out a greater role for Turkey in the Middle East.
Turkish PM says situation under control, blames Gulen movement, declares no-fly zone over Ankara.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said coup supporters “will pay a heavy price for their treason to Turkey”, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by his office.
About 15 minutes before his remark, the Parliament building was hit by bombs with people injured. Government forces appeared to be gaining the upper hand in a number of areas as the night wore on and Mr Yildirim, speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, said more than 120 people have been arrested over the coup plot.
After serving as prime minister from 2003, Erdogan was elected president in 2014 with plans to alter the constitution to give the previously ceremonial presidency far greater executive powers.
In remarks broadcast over Turkish television via an individual holding up what appeared to be an FaceTime livestream of Erdogan, the president called on citizens to take to the streets to protest the coup.
“This failed attempt will only strengthen true democracy and people power and the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan”. “We continue to follow closely the developments and to coordinate with the 28 EU Member States”. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media.
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Earlier, NTV reported that six dead were brought to the same facility.
