The coup was attempted when President Erdogan was on vacation and returned to Istanbul (Constantepole) and a group of Turkish military officers said they were taking over the country in order to restore democracy.
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Footage on local television channels showed military vehicles blocking bridges over the Bosphorus in Istanbul and tanks deployed at the city’s main airport.
Erdogan predicted that the putsch would fail and crowds of supporters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came out onto the streets to try to block it.
TurkThe president of Turkey, Recep Erdogan, returned to Ankara from the seaside province of Marmaris to declare the coup launched against him by a “portion of the military” had failed.
“What is being perpetrated is treason and a rebellion”. At the Etimesgut armored units training command, in the outskirts of Ankara, some soldiers who took part in the attempted coup were arrested by fellow officers or soldiers and handed over to police, the agency reported. “We will not leave our country to occupiers”.
Meanwhile, at least two civilians were killed in Istanbul after military forces opened fire on protesters. A group affiliated with Gülen has condemned the coup attempt.
Regular explosions could be heard from the AFP office situated near the complex. A stream of opposition leaders backed the democratically elected government in the nation of 79 million, a key ally in the fight against Islamic State and a host to more than 2,000 US military personnel.
Three civilians were injured in the artillery shooting that started on Friday night on the bridge that connects Turkey to Asia.
Freedom of citizens was guaranteed by the “peace council”, regardless of religion, race or language, the announcer said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said that the coup plot will fail.
The debris of serious fighting littered key locations in Turkey’s major cities on Saturday morning as the country woke up to scenes it hasn’t witnessed for more than almost four decades. In fact, Turkey has a long history of military coups. The coup was a failure, he declared, and his government remained in charge.
Just last month, the government accused ISIS of carrying out the deadly triple suicide bombing at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport. Private NTV television reported that one helicopter was shot down.
Erdogan says: “They have pointed the people’s guns against the people”. He spends hours a day in prayer and meditation and goes out rarely, mostly to see doctors for ailments that include heart disease and diabetes, according to Aslandogan.
One of the newest members of the Orlando Magic was in Turkey, as the country’s military attempted to overthrow the government Friday.
Iran and Turkey have been at loggerheads in regional conflicts including Syria, where they back opposing sides in the five-year civil war. “This is the manifestation of all that anger”.
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Mr Gulen and his group of followers, known as the Gulen movement or Hizmet, have however denied involvement.
