FCO latest advice: remain indoors
Britons should remain indoors, even though the situation now “appears quieter” in Istanbul, the Foreign Office says in its latest advice to travellers.
There has been large scale military action in Turkey, with the military deployed to the streets and widespread reports of gunfire and explosions in Ankara and Istanbul. The situation now appears quieter in Istanbul, and the bridges across the Bosphorus are re-opening. But there are reports of tank fire and small arms fire in Ankara. Some flights to airports in Turkey are being diverted or cancelled. The road between Marmaris and Icmeler remains closed, following earlier reports of gunfire between the resorts of Marmaris and Icmeler. We strongly advise you to stay indoors, avoid public places, in particular demonstrations, and remain vigilant.
If you are at an airport in Turkey, please follow the advice of the authorities and contact your airline or tour operator.
If you are due to travel to or from Turkey over the next few days, you should closely monitor our travel advice and check with your airline or tour operator before travelling.
British Airways says it is canceling all flights to and from Turkey on Saturday, but easyJet says it plans to run its scheduled flights, largely to Turkish resort towns, AP says.
104 ‘plotters’ killed overnight
Some 104 coup plotters were killed after an attempt to bring down the Turkish government, the acting army chief said on Saturday.
“The coup attempt has been foiled,” General Umit Dundar said in televised appearance. He said 1,563 soldiers who had taken part in the coup had been arrested. The attempt came from sections of the Air Force, Gendarmerie and some “armoured elements”, but insists it was rejected “from the start” by senior commanders.
He said that 90 people – 41 of them police and 47 are civilians – “fell martrys.”
He also said many commanders were taken to “unknown locations” and that operations were ongoing to retake control of the military HQ in Ankara.
According to an official, police special forces and the military are securing the perimeter of the headquarters. “Shots were fired by a military officer from inside the walls earlier this morning,” the official told Reuters.
He vows they will “wipe out” members of a “parallel structure” from within the ranks of the armed forces, which are one of the biggest in Nato.
The “parallel structure” is a shorthand commonly used by President Tayyip Erdogan and others in the government to refer to followers of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, Reuters noted.
“Our people should have no concern, that the era of coups and juntas have come to a close, never to be opened again,” Dundar says.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile used Twitter to call on people to remain in the streets, warning against a new flare-up.
Remains of coup attempt litter roads
Josie Ensor, who is reporting from Istanbul, says the roads into the city show signs of last night’s failed coup: stationary tanks abandoned by the army and taken over by pro-Erdogan supporters who are chanting his name.
The city isn’t quite back to normal, but it’s not looking close to civil war this morning.
Iran, Pakistan, Qatar cheer failure of coup
The botched coup has alarmed other governments in the region.
Iran says the attempted military coup in Turkey was “doomed to fail.”
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as praising the “brave defense by the people of Turkey of their democracy and elected government.”
Zarif said the events in neighboring Turkey prove “that coup d’etat has no place and is doomed to fail in our region.”
And Pakistan has condemned the coup attempt, with an aide to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif saying in a statement that Pakistan “hopes that peace and normalcy will be restored.”
Qatar also celebrated the failure of the coup.
“The state of Qatar expressed its strong denunciation and condemnation of the military coup attempt, lawlessness, and violation of the constitutional legitimacy in the Republic of Turkey,” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Qatari state news agency said the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, telephoned Erdogan to “congratulate him for the support the Turkish people have shown around Turkey’s leadership”.
“His highness also expressed strong condemnation and denunciation of this failed attempt and Qatar’s stand and solidarity with the brotherly Turkish republic in all measures it is taking to protect the constitutional legitimacy and implement the law…,” it added.
90 people killed in coup
The death toll from an attempted coup by Turkish soldiers overnight has risen to 90, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Saturday, with 1,154 people wounded.
The crisis is the first test for Boris Johnson, the new Foreign Secretary. He said this morning he had spoken to the foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, to stress British support for “the democratic elected government and institutions”.
6am Summary
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told the nation that his government is in charge after a coup attempt brought a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire across the capital that at least 60 dead and at least 150 people wounded.
Government officials said the coup appeared to have failed as Turks took to the streets overnight to confront troops attempting to take over the country. However, the sounds of huge blasts, including at least one bomb that hit the parliament complex, continued to echo across the capital, Ankara, and Istanbul throughout the morning.
Addressing a crowd of supporters outside Istanbul Ataturk Airport on Saturday morning, Erdogan told a crowd assembled there: “They have pointed the people’s guns against the people. The president, whom 52 percent of the people brought to power, is in charge. This government brought to power by the people, is in charge. They won’t succeed as long as we stand against them by risking everything.”
Earlier, Erdogan said the government was arresting coup supporters in the military and warned “they will pay a heavy price for their treason to Turkey,”
In images broadcast on CNN-Turk, dozens of soldiers walked among tanks with their hand held up, surrendering to government forces on Istanbul’s Bosporus Bridge. Discarded gear was strewn on the ground. People, some holding flags, climbed onto the tanks. Fifty soldiers were taken into custody, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Germany supports elected government in Turkey, Merkel’s spokesman says
Turkey‘s democracy must be respected and Berlin is supporting the elected government in Ankara, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said on Saturday after an attempted coup by a faction of the Turkish military.
“The democratic order in Turkey must be respected. Everything needs to be done to protect human lives,” Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Twitter.
He said Merkel was in close contact with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel and that Berlin supported Turkey’s elected government.
Turkish authorities say 754 security forces detained
The number of security forces in detention has now reached 754, according to the Turkish government,
Rebels still defiant
An email has been sent out by the rebels, who call themselves the “Peace at Home” movement saying that the will fight on.
There have also been reports of violent confrontations between Erdogan supporters and soldiers, with some of the rebels who had surrendered being turned upon by allies of the president.
Turks are celebrating near Bosphorus Bridge
Further footage suggesting that the Turkish president is in control, at least in Istanbul, as soldiers surrender and people celebrate on top of tanks.
Fethullah Gulen denies involvement in the attempted coup
Fethullah Gulen, the Islamic cleric has denied involvement in the coup. His group Alliance for Shared Values, said: “Events on the ground are moving quickly and it would be irresponsible for us to speculate on them. We remain concerned about the safety and security of Turkish citizens and those in Turkey right now.”
Death toll up to 60
The latest reports have raised the death toll to at least 60, who are understood to be mainly civilians. There have been 42 confirmed fatalities in Ankara and a number of other people are understood to have died in Istanbul. The Turkish justice ministry said that 336 rebels have been detained.
Confusion about the motives of those behind the coup
Zaynep Tufekci an academic and writer is baffled by the motives of those who orchestrated the attempted coup.
Soldiers holding the Bosphorus bridge surrender. That’s how it began. Why no manifesto, why not a coup by Turkey “playbook”? We will learn.
—Zeynep Tufekci (@zeynep) July 16, 2016
Soldiers appear to be surrendering
Footage from Istanbul has emerged showing between 60-100 soldiers apparently surrendering on the Bosphorus Bridge.
It is believed that they were turning themselves to the police, apparently confirming President Erdogan’s assertion that the coup has failed.
The president himself, speaking to flag waving supporters at Istanbul’s main airport, urged those who backed him to remain on the streets until the political situation returned to normal.
Bomb attacks continuing on Turkish parliament in Ankara
Bomb attacks on Turkey’s parliament are continuing, a senior Turkish official said on Saturday, adding that rebel soldiers have been warned they will be shot down if they attempt to use more military aircraft.
The official also said there were more fatalities in Istanbul, in addition to the 42 killed in Ankara, in an attempted coup by a section of the military.
Erdogan says he doesn’t know whereabouts of Turkey army chief
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said he did not know the whereabouts of Turkey’s top general after an attempted coup.
“I don’t know the circumstances regarding the chief of staff” General Hulusi Akar, Erdogan told reporters after flying into Istanbul, following reports earlier on state media he was taken hostage by the coup plotters.
Footage of parliament under attack
A video has emerged showing the moment a parliament session was attacked.
The moment of attack on the Turkish Parliament during a session. Absolutely outrageous.pic.twitter.com/MiR2ljvQ4Z
— Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) July 16, 2016
Video shows ‘soldiers being arrested’ at CNN Turk
Footage has emerged purportedly showing military who took over CNN Turk building earlier being arrested by police and journalists.
What a footage: inside CNNTURK, Istanbul, military who took over building being arrested by police and journalists. https://t.co/twIrFhSdIh
— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint) July 16, 2016
17 of 42 killed were police officers’
Seventeen of the 42 casualties in Ankara were police officers, a senior Turkish official has said.
Explosion reported in Istanbul
Violence is still continuing in Istanbul, with an explosion rocking the city moments ago.
@barneyhenderson @Telegraph it was a tank, fired on police vehicle that wanted to take Bosphorus bridge entrance
— Nêçîrvan (@mnecirvan) July 16, 2016
Source: The Telegraph
