He said soldiers at the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, used by the US military to conduct air strikes against Islamic State militants in neighboring Syria, had been involved in the coup attempt and that arrests had been made. This is where Western governments will be particularly anxious, for the president is entirely capable of deciding that Europe and America were behind the attempted coup. In one instance, a military helicopter began shooting in Ankara.
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He described the coup attempt as a “black stain” on Turkish democracy.
Citizens opposed to the coup took to the streets in both cities.
Prime Minister Binali Yildrim said even though the death penalty is not in the constitution, legal changes would be considered.
With the main opposition parties making statements condemning the coup attempt, and most of the important branches of the military and security services rallying to the government’s side, it did not appear that the renegades had widespread support.
He emphasised that any country standing by the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen would not be a friend of Turkey and would be considered at war with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member. Meanwhile, the Pentagon says the Turkish government cut power to the airbase that the US military uses to launch bombing raids on ISIS targets in Syria.
As of Saturday midday, some 150 military coup supporters were still holding out at a major base in Ankara, the government said.
Canadians already travelling within Turkey are advised to remain indoors, avoid large public gatherings and seek assistance from the Canadian embassy in Ankara or the Consulate of Canada in Istanbul.
Those behind the attempted coup would pay the highest price, he added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the United States on Saturday to extradite accused terrorist leader and coup plotter Fetullah Gulen, according to Anadolu Agency. However, Gülen denounced the coup, according to Time.
“What is being perpetrated is a treason and a rebellion”. “We will not leave our country to occupiers”.
Asked by reporters Saturday about Erdogan’s claim of Gulen’s being behind the attempted coup, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said, “We fully anticipate that there will be questions raised about Mr. Gulen”.
However, Gulen “categorically” denied any involvement in the plot, calling the accusation “insulting”.
A prolonged closure of Incirlik’s airspace could force the United States to divert aircraft based in the Persian Gulf to the Manbij and Raqqa offensives, constraining the air power available to support Iraqi and USA forces involved in operations against Islamic State.
Emirates cancelled flights to Istanbul on Saturday and said it would continue to “closely monitor the situation” before a decision is made regarding later flights and flights to Istanbul’s second airport, Sabiha Gokcen.
Turkish maritime authorities have reopened Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait to transiting tankers after shutting it earlier on Saturday for several hours following the attempted coup.
Turkey’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies lined up to condemn the coup. And Turkey’s security forces have been fighting Kurdish separatists in the southeast.
“The Sudanese government and people have followed, with deep concern, the foiled coup attempt on Friday night, July 15, 2016, against the legitimate Turkish government”, Sudanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
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Turks have not seen such scenes since 1980 when the military led by general Kenan Evren ousted the government and many had no desire to revive these memories. Yesterday showed how any attempt to reject the nation’s choice will have to face the full wrath of the people. Erdogan said that his government was working to crush a coup attempt after a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire that left dozens dead and at least 150 people wounded.
