“They will pay a heavy price for their treason to Turkey”, he added. He says one of the café owners told him they believe that Imam Fethullah Gulen is behind the attack, a claim that has been echoed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Even if it fails, the coup attempt could destabilize a pivotal country in the region. In a news conference Saturday in Pennsylvania, Gulen denied having anything to do with the unrest. “However, I said very directly once again that this was an attempt by Gulen, who is residing in their country, and his structure within the military”, Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview in Ankara.
Advertisement
“I can not say this is what happened, that would be slander”, Gulen said.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has called all legislators for an emergency meeting Saturday, Anadolu reported.
The declaration praised the Turkish nation for its unwavering belief in democracy and lauded citizens for taking to the streets and resisting the coup.
The Pentagon’s press secretary, Peter Cook, said Saturday that US officials are working with Turkish officials to get permission to resume air operations as soon as possible following the attempted coup. “Government should be won through a process of free and fair elections, not force”.
In Istanbul, tanks seized two major bridges, shutting down traffic in much of the city. Bombs were dropped on the parliament building and the presidential palace in Ankara. Gunfire was also heard outside Istanbul police headquarters and tanks were said to be stationed outside Istanbul airport.
As protesters poured onto the streets, an AFP photographer saw troops open fire on people gathered near one of the bridges, leaving dozens wounded.
An army faction then issued a statement that a “peace council” was running Turkey and had launched the coup “to ensure and restore constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms”.
Fighting continued throughout yesterday with the sounds of huge blasts echoing across the capital Ankara and Istanbul.
But, he added: “Through military interventions, democracy can not be achieved”.
Turkey has always been expected to request his extradition from the United States. And no military or defense department civilians have left the country. He said 2,839 soldiers were arrested.
Yildirim last night said the situation is now “completely under control”. He said: “At any time there could be new tests, new attempts. We have prevented the coup but it is too soon to say that the danger is over”.
US President Barack Obama urged all people in Turkey to support the “democratically elected government”.
However, the self-exiled cleric strongly condemned the coup attempt, and said he had nothing to do with the uprising.
Merkel, who is considered as Erdogan’s closest ally in the European Union, added that “Germany stands side by side with those in Turkey who defend democracy and the rule of law”.
Advertisement
Turkish authorities also imposed a security lockdown at the Incirlik air base in the southern province of Adana used by U.S. and other coalition forces in the fight against jihadists in Syria, the United States consulate said.
