A faction of the Turkish armed forces attempted to overthrow the government late on Friday, with soldiers taking over some news outlets and tanks and helicopters blocking bridges.
Meanwhile, war planes flew over Ankara and explosions have rocked the Turkish parliament.
State news has reported “mass casualties” in Turkish cities as both the government and those linked to the military have battled for control.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had been on holiday as the coup began, flew into Istanbul’s Ataturk airport early on Saturday and was greeted by large crowds.
He denounced the coup attempt as an “act of treason” and said the government remains in power.
Mr Erdogan warned coup supporters that “they will pay a heavy price for their treason to Turkey“, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by his office.
Live television showed dozens of soldiers surrendering with their hands up and walking away from tanks after blocking one of Istanbul’s Bosphorus bridges overnight.
Mr Erdogan, had earlier been forced to use a mobile phone and FaceTime video chat to appear on national television and claim he was still in control of the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment