Television images showed tanks parked in front, while scores of people gathered in Istanbul and capital city Ankara to show their support for the elected government.
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Following the coup attempt by members of the military in Turkey, the Foreign Office has issued fresh advise for those in the area.
In light of a curfew instituted by the military, Erdogan called on citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government. We will not abandon our country to these invaders. A North Atlantic Treaty Organisation official at alliance headquarters in Brussels told The Associated Press early Saturday that “we’re following events closely”, but said he had no other comment.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says more than 130 people have been arrested.
Members of Turkey’s armed forces said they had taken control of the country, but Turkish officials said the coup attempt had been repelled early Saturday morning in a night of violence that left at least 17 dead, according to state-run media. Some of them were waving Turkish flags. There was no immediate word from Erdogan.
The Head of State called on the military to lay down their weapons and not to use force against their own people. “I never believed in a power higher than the power of the people”.
Hundreds of people flooded the streets of multiple Turkish cities including Istanbul.
Warplanes and helicopters roared over the capital Ankara. Military coup leaders in the past drew on the support of Turks who saw them as saviors from chaos and corruption, but they were often ruthless.
With the conflict in Syria, Erdogan was hesitant to partake in military action in the early months of the U.S-led effort against Islamic State militants. Anadolu reported that helicopters have opened fire at the national intelligence headquarters in Ankara.
The coup raised a host of critical questions at a time when Turkey is engaged in turmoil at home and with neighboring countries.
Roughly half of Syria’s almost 5 million refugees are in Turkey, straining the country’s resources.
Turkey has also been the launching point for many Syrian refugees heading to Europe. US President Barack Obama yesterday urged all parties in Turkey to back the “democratically-elected” government, a clear denunciation of troops who launched a coup that has rocked the country. For Erdogan, the greater goal was ousting Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Erdogan was accused in some USA circles of turning a blind eye towards Islamic State.
The State Department urged Americans in Turkey to stay indoors.
Yildirim told private NTV television: “it is correct that there was an attempt”, when asked if there was a coup. This government brought to power by the people, is in charge.
“The ball would be in the court of the coup government, they would have to determine if they would continue”, he said.
As the crisis unfolded, there were reports that access to popular social media sites like Twitter and Facebook had been blocked within the country. United States military sources were quoted as telling NBC News that Erdogan’s presidential jet was allegedly denied landing rights at Istanbul’s airport, before it headed out of the country.
Reports said that flights into Istanbul’s main global airport had been halted. There have been multiple reports of explosions and gunfire in Ankara and Istanbul; if these reports intensify, things could get very bad. Most reports say he’s on a plane, trying to land somewhere.
This is a breaking news story.
However a spokesman added that the flight schedule would be kept under continuous review and passengers should check for updated information on its website.
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Police reportedly fired on and killed several people approaching a roadblock at a bridge in Istanbul.
