As the events unfolded, Egyptian TV personality Ahmed Moussa declared “this isn’t a military coup”, but “a revolution within the Turkish armed forces”.
Advertisement
In recent years, critics, foreign governments and Turkish citizens have expressed concerns about a steady decline into authoritarianism under Erdogan.
Gulen’s movement promotes a version of Islam that embraces science, education and interfaith dialogue, earning him millions of followers but also the suspicion of many in Turkey’s establishment.
The military coup attempt in Turkey is the handiwork of the movement of Fethullah Gulen [Islamic public figure now residing in the US], said the prime minister.
Nawaz Sharif on Saturday directed authorities to take measures to ensure the safe return of Pakistani nationals stranded in Istanbul, reported Dunya News.
He explained that the reasons for the coup included “one of the latest developments (that) has been the bill redesigning the high courts as well as Erdogan’s refusal to be impartial”. “They won’t succeed as long as we stand against them by risking everything”.
But Erdogan’s Islamist government has also been accused of playing an ambiguous role in Syria.
In a night that sometimes verged on the freaky, Erdogan frequently took to social media even though he is an avowed enemy of the technology when his opponents use it, frequently targeting Twitter and Facebook. He issued a defiant address to the nation in a FaceTime call from his mobile phone.
Saturday morning Turkey’s prime minister said the situation was under control and that all commanders were back on duty.
I say “someone” because it’s not clear who is holding what levers of power right now; there is an ongoing military coup of some sort, but it’s not clear whether the entire military is involved, or just factions thereof.
The purge appeared to go beyond the military.
Gunfire and explosions had rocked both Istanbul and Ankara through the night after soldiers took up positions in both cities and ordered state television to read out a statement declaring they had taken power. However, by dawn the noise of fighting had died down considerably.
A live television broadcast showed dozens of pro-coup soldiers who had seized Istanbul’s Bosporus bridge abandoning their tanks with their hands in the air.
Who was behind the coup? .
As many as 2,839 soldiers are now detained over suspicion of involvement in the failed coup.
The coup began with warplanes and helicopters roaring over Ankara and troops moving in to seal off the bridges over the Bosphorus Strait that links Europe and Asia in Istanbul.
The Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul on Friday night.
Multiple blasts reportedly struck parliament in Ankara over the course of several hours, with lawmakers forced to retreat into shelters. He told them: “They have pointed the people’s guns against the people”. An official said special forces were now securing the complex. Erdogan has also been a polarizing leader, though he commands deep support among a pious Muslim class that once felt marginalized under past military-influenced governments.
“Turkish law will now deal with coup plotters”. People, some holding flags, climbed onto the tanks.
“The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law”, said European Council chief Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Commission Vice President Federica Mogherini, during a press conference Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where EU and Asian leaders were holding a summit.
All flights from Istanbul to Sofia for Saturday had been cancelled, according to Sofia airport’s website. “If you have the courage, come back to your country”.
Advertisement
Over 200 people have been killed.
