Saturday, 16 July 2016

Coup attempt Turkey "Government says situation under control"

 A violent, chaotic night in Turkey ended with at least 161 people dead, but the government said Saturday it remains firmly in control following a coup attempt by some members of the military.
Meanwhile, Turkish military authorities have closed the airspace around Turkey's Incirlik air base -- the site Turkey allows the United States to use for operations related to its air campaign against ISIS in Syria and Iraq -- a U.S. defense official told CNN on Saturday.
This has led to a halt in U.S. airstrike missions against ISIS from that location, the official said on condition of anonymity. Turkish officials told the United States that the airspace has been closed until they can make sure all elements of the Turkish air force are in the hands of pro-government forces after Friday's coup attempt, the U.S. official said.
Clothes and weapons beloging to soldiers involved in the coup attempt lie on the ground abandoned on Bosphorus Bridge.
Clothes and weapons beloging to soldiers involved in the coup attempt lie on the ground abandoned on Bosphorus Bridge.
There was one exception: A small number of U.S. planes that already were on missions before the airspace closed have been allowed to return and land at Incirlik, the official said, adding that there is no clear understanding about how long the airspace closure will last.
Earlier, the U.S. consulate in Adana reported that power to the base had been cut and local authorities were preventing movement onto and off the site. The consulate warned U.S. citizens to avoid the area.
The base is home to the Turkish Air Force and the U.S. Air Force's 39th Air Base Wing, which includes about 1,500 American personnel, according to the base's website.

Uprising 'under control'

Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus Bridge on Saturday.
Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus Bridge on Saturday.
The latest developments came just hours after Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the situation in Turkey was under control, with all military commanders back to work.
"Our nation in this incident has shown a great resilience," Yildirim said. "Those who have done this uprising should understand this reality that no one can play games with the stability of this country and the love of freedom and democracy."
Chaos broke out Friday night when military tanks rolled onto the streets of Ankara and Istanbul and soldiers blocked the famous Bosphorus Bridge. Blasts rang out, leaving stunned residents wondering what was going on.
Turkey's attempted coup: By the numbers
• At least 161 people killed
• 2,839 military officers were detained
• At least 1,140 people wounded
• 1 airfield still under military faction's control
• At least 200 soldiers turned themselves in to police in Ankara
• 11 years: Erdogan's reign as Prime Minister
• 2014: Year that Erdogan ran for President -- and won
The Turkish military claim of a takeover was read by an anchor on state broadcaster TRT. She said the military imposed martial law.
The military said it seized control of the country to maintain democratic order, adding that the "political administration that has lost all legitimacy has been forced to withdraw."
The attempted coup appeared to lose momentum after a defiant President Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned from a vacation at the seaside resort of Marmaris and declared his government was in control. But by the time he reemerged after hours of silence, dozens of people had died in the violence.
Of the 161 deaths, most were police officers killed in a gunfire exchange with a helicopter near the Parliament complex in Ankara, Turkey's NTV reported. It said the building was damaged.
An additional 1,140 people were wounded, said Yildirim.
A total of 2,839 military officers were detained, a source in the President's office said. And the Ankara chief public prosecutor's office took nearly 200 top Turkish court officials into custody, Anatolian News Agency reported Saturday.
The officials include 140 members of the Supreme Court and 48 members of the Council of State, one of Turkey's three high courts.

8 seek asylum in Greece

A Turkish helicopter carrying eight men landed in Greece Saturday and the men aboard requested political asylum, Greek government spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili said.
In response to this news, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted that Turkey has "requested the immediate surrender of eight heinous soldiers who escaped to Greece with a helicopter."
Greece is considering the asylum request, and the helicopter -- which landed at an airport in Alexandroupoli, near the Turkish border -- will be returned to Turkish authorities, Gerovasili said. The helicopter landed after issuing a distress signal regarding a mechanical failure, Gerovasili said.

How the night's violence unfolded

Witness Katherine Cohen, an American who's staying in an Istanbul hotel, said she heard a loud explosion at sunrise, and gunfire and jets all through the night.
For much of the night, fighter jets flew low over Istanbul while armored vehicles streamed across a main bridge in the city. Gunshots rang out on Bosphorus Bridge, sending pro-government protesters to the ground.
In Ankara, gunfire rang overnight as jets circled above.
"When I stuck my head out, I could see helicopters shooting," said Diego Cupolo, a photojournalist in Ankara.
The Turkey Coup in 90 seconds
He said he could see tracer rounds zip through the air.
Bombs were thrown at the Parliament building in Ankara. A helicopter the government says was stolen by coup plotters was shot down by an F-16.

Erdogan emerges

Turkish people look at a burned car in Istanbul on Saturday.
Turkish people look at a burned car in Istanbul on Saturday.
As the morning wore on, crowds emptied out of Istanbul's Taksim Square, where many gathered the night before.
In Istanbul, a defiant Erdogan addressed crowds, telling them that the coup had been quashed.
President addresses country on FaceTime
"The government is in control," he told supporters as they chanted his name. "Fifty percent of the people elected the President and that President is on duty."
He said those involved will be dealt with.
"So far as we believe, so far as we're alive, we'll be prepared to die in the cause to tackle these people ... we're not going to compromise."

The surrender

Shortly after dawn, video footage showed soldiers surrendering en masse. At least 200 soldiers turned themselves in to police in Ankara, Turkish state media reported.
They walked away from tanks and abandoned their posts on the Bosphorus Bridge, which connects the European and Asian sides of Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines resumed flights out of Istanbul Ataturk airport, which had earlier been overrun by protesters. 
A Turkish police officer embracea a man on a tank after the military position was taken over at the Anatolian side at Uskudar in Istanbul on Saturday. 
The tragedy of Turkey's attempted coup   
Erdogan called the attempted coup "treason" and took to task the forces he apparently suspects of masterminding it.
"Now I'm addressing those in Pennsylvania," he said, in an apparent reference to Fethullah Gulen, a cleric and former ally who lives in exile in Pennsylvania.
"The betrayal you have shown to this nation and to this community, that's enough. If you have the courage, come back to your country. If you can. You will not have the means to turn this country into a mess from where you are."
In a statement, Gulen denied any connection to the coup attempt and said he condemned it.

Assessing the damage





People protesting against the coup wave a Turkish flag on top of the monument in Taksim Square.
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the street after Erdogan's call to confront the military was broadcast on television.
Many waved Turkish flags and chanted their support for the President. Some climbed on tanks and blocked the path of military vehicles with their cars. But some soldiers got hugs from apparent supporters.
Ömer Çelik, Turkey's EU negotiator, tweeted images that he said showed some of the damage at the Turkish Parliament:
"Our country has been subjected to treacherous enemy attack, which displays betrayal to the nation, their uniforms and morals. The necessary response has been shown to the enemy and it is still being shown," he said.
CNN affiliate briefly forced off air

Erdogan's rise to power

Erdogan was elected Prime Minister in 2003. Under his rule, Turkey became a powerhouse in the Middle East. His reign came to an end in 2014, and his own party's rules prevented him from seeking a fourth term.
He ran for President -- and won. Before this, the President of Turkey was a largely ceremonial role, but Erdogan tried to change that by altering the constitution to give him more power.
Under Erdogan, who is extremely conservative, religion had started to play a more important role in Turkey, which is a largely secular country. He was active in Islamist circles in the 1970s and 1980s.

How did Turkey get here?

Friday's coup attempt is the latest worrying example of deteriorating stability in a country that a few years ago was being promoted to the wider Muslim world as a model of democratic governance and economic prosperity.

Some 14 years after the Erdogan's political party swept to power in elections, Turkey once again teeters on the brink.
Today, the Turkish government is simultaneously battling two deadly terrorist organizations -- ISIS and the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Society is widely polarized between people who love or loathe Erdogan. Security services routinely use force to crush attempts at public protests against the government. Human rights groups constantly criticize the government for the arrest of critical journalists.
Amid improving Turkish government-military relations, coup attempt comes as shock
The violence has also taken its toll on the tourism industry and the value of the country's currency. 


Official: Military acted outside chain of command


Turkish military inside state TV

Turkish military seen inside Turkish state T







































Witness: We are on lockdown in Istanbul

 

 

Erdogan leaves a polling booth after casting his vote in Turkey's 26th general election at a polling station in Istanbul on November 1, 2015.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan leaves a polling booth after casting his vote in Turkey's 26th general election at a polling station in Istanbul on November 1, 2015.
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Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis, right, and Erdogan walk together during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on March 23, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis, right, and Erdogan walk together during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on March 23, 2016.
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Erdogan delivers a speech during his visit to the Turkish War Colleges Command in Istanbul on March 28, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan delivers a speech during his visit to the Turkish War Colleges Command in Istanbul on March 28, 2016.
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Erdogan, right, kicks a soccer ball while Former Turkish President Abdullah Gul watches at Besiktas soccer club's new Vodafone Arena on its opening day in Istanbul on April 10, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, right, kicks a soccer ball while Former Turkish President Abdullah Gul watches at Besiktas soccer club's new Vodafone Arena on its opening day in Istanbul on April 10, 2016.
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Erdogan, right, shakes hands with King Salman of Saudi Arabia after the Saudi monarch received Turkey's highest state medal during a ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on April 12, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, right, shakes hands with King Salman of Saudi Arabia after the Saudi monarch received Turkey's highest state medal during a ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on April 12, 2016.
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Erdogan, center, chairs the meeting of the 65th Cabinet of Turkey at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on May 25, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, center, chairs the meeting of the 65th Cabinet of Turkey at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on May 25, 2016.
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Erdogan, seventh from the left, attends the Kinaliada Corvette Ceremony at Pendik Naval Shipyard in Istanbul on June 18, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, seventh from the left, attends the Kinaliada Corvette Ceremony at Pendik Naval Shipyard in Istanbul on June 18, 2016.
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Erdogan, right, attends an Iftar dinner during his visit to the Tank Battalion campus in the Cizre district of Sirnak, Turkey, on June 25, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, right, attends an Iftar dinner during his visit to the Tank Battalion campus in the Cizre district of Sirnak, Turkey, on June 25, 2016.
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From left, U.S. President Barack Obama, France's President Francois Hollande, Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take their positions for a photo ahead of a working dinner at the presidential palace during the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland, on July 8, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
From left, U.S. President Barack Obama, France's President Francois Hollande, Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take their positions for a photo ahead of a working dinner at the presidential palace during the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland, on July 8, 2016.
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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks on CNN Turk via a FaceTime call in Istanbul on Friday, July 15, 2016, after members of the country's military attempted to overthrow the government.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks on CNN Turk via a FaceTime call in Istanbul on Friday, July 15, 2016, after members of the country's military attempted to overthrow the government.
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Erdogan addresses people gathered at his palace for Iftar -- the meal eaten after sunset during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan -- in Ankara, Turkey, on June 27, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan addresses people gathered at his palace for Iftar -- the meal eaten after sunset during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan -- in Ankara, Turkey, on June 27, 2016.
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Erdogan oversees the rescue efforts in the eastern province of Bingol on May 1, 2003, following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that rocked the Turkish region.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan oversees the rescue efforts in the eastern province of Bingol on May 1, 2003, following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that rocked the Turkish region.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Erdogan wear helmets in Durusu village near Turkey's northern city of Samsun, on November 17, 2005, during the inauguration ceremony for the major trans-Black Sea gas pipeline Blue Stream. The pipeline runs from Russia to Turkey.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Erdogan wear helmets in Durusu village near Turkey's northern city of Samsun, on November 17, 2005, during the inauguration ceremony for the major trans-Black Sea gas pipeline Blue Stream. The pipeline runs from Russia to Turkey.
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Erdogan addresses the media after a meeting with his deputies at his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, on May 1, 2007. Erdogan unveiled a reform package, including having future presidents elected by popular vote instead of by parliament.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan addresses the media after a meeting with his deputies at his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, on May 1, 2007. Erdogan unveiled a reform package, including having future presidents elected by popular vote instead of by parliament.
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan, gives a David Beckham signed soccer ball to a Turkish boy during at a garden party held for her birthday at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on May 16, 2008. It was the Queen's first visit to Turkey in 37 years.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan, gives a David Beckham signed soccer ball to a Turkish boy during at a garden party held for her birthday at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on May 16, 2008. It was the Queen's first visit to Turkey in 37 years.
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U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with Erdogan during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on December 7, 2009.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with Erdogan during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on December 7, 2009.
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Erdogan, his wife Emine, his grandchildren and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbas, left, greet the crowd at a presidential election rally in Istanbul on August 3, 2014.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, his wife Emine, his grandchildren and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbas, left, greet the crowd at a presidential election rally in Istanbul on August 3, 2014.
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Erdogan attends a swearing in ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, on August 28, 2014. Erdogan was sworn in as Turkey's 12th president at a ceremony in parliament, cementing his position as the country's most powerful modern leader.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan attends a swearing in ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, on August 28, 2014. Erdogan was sworn in as Turkey's 12th president at a ceremony in parliament, cementing his position as the country's most powerful modern leader.
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Erdogan leaves a polling booth after casting his vote in Turkey's 26th general election at a polling station in Istanbul on November 1, 2015.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan leaves a polling booth after casting his vote in Turkey's 26th general election at a polling station in Istanbul on November 1, 2015.
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Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis, right, and Erdogan walk together during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on March 23, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis, right, and Erdogan walk together during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on March 23, 2016.
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Erdogan delivers a speech during his visit to the Turkish War Colleges Command in Istanbul on March 28, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan delivers a speech during his visit to the Turkish War Colleges Command in Istanbul on March 28, 2016.
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Erdogan, right, kicks a soccer ball while Former Turkish President Abdullah Gul watches at Besiktas soccer club's new Vodafone Arena on its opening day in Istanbul on April 10, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, right, kicks a soccer ball while Former Turkish President Abdullah Gul watches at Besiktas soccer club's new Vodafone Arena on its opening day in Istanbul on April 10, 2016.
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Erdogan, right, shakes hands with King Salman of Saudi Arabia after the Saudi monarch received Turkey's highest state medal during a ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on April 12, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, right, shakes hands with King Salman of Saudi Arabia after the Saudi monarch received Turkey's highest state medal during a ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on April 12, 2016.
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Erdogan, center, chairs the meeting of the 65th Cabinet of Turkey at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on May 25, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Er
Erdogan, center, chairs the meeting of the 65th Cabinet of Turkey at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on May 25, 2016.
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Erdogan, seventh from the left, attends the Kinaliada Corvette Ceremony at Pendik Naval Shipyard in Istanbul on June 18, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, seventh from the left, attends the Kinaliada Corvette Ceremony at Pendik Naval Shipyard in Istanbul on June 18, 2016.
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Erdogan, right, attends an Iftar dinner during his visit to the Tank Battalion campus in the Cizre district of Sirnak, Turkey, on June 25, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, right, attends an Iftar dinner during his visit to the Tank Battalion campus in the Cizre district of Sirnak, Turkey, on June 25, 2016.
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From left, U.S. President Barack Obama, France's President Francois Hollande, Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take their positions for a photo ahead of a working dinner at the presidential palace during the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland, on July 8, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
From left, U.S. President Barack Obama, France's President Francois Hollande, Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take their positions for a photo ahead of a working dinner at the presidential palace during the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland, on July 8, 2016.
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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks on CNN Turk via a FaceTime call in Istanbul on Friday, July 15, 2016, after members of the country's military attempted to overthrow the government.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks on CNN Turk via a FaceTime call in Istanbul on Friday, July 15, 2016, after members of the country's military attempted to overthrow the government.
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1 of 18
Erdogan addresses people gathered at his palace for Iftar -- the meal eaten after sunset during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan -- in Ankara, Turkey, on June 27, 2016.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan addresses people gathered at his palace for Iftar -- the meal eaten after sunset during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan -- in Ankara, Turkey, on June 27, 2016.
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2 of 18
Erdogan oversees the rescue efforts in the eastern province of Bingol on May 1, 2003, following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that rocked the Turkish region.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan oversees the rescue efforts in the eastern province of Bingol on May 1, 2003, following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that rocked the Turkish region.
Hide Caption
3 of 18
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Erdogan wear helmets in Durusu village near Turkey's northern city of Samsun, on November 17, 2005, during the inauguration ceremony for the major trans-Black Sea gas pipeline Blue Stream. The pipeline runs from Russia to Turkey.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Erdogan wear helmets in Durusu village near Turkey's northern city of Samsun, on November 17, 2005, during the inauguration ceremony for the major trans-Black Sea gas pipeline Blue Stream. The pipeline runs from Russia to Turkey.
Hide Caption
4 of 18
Erdogan addresses the media after a meeting with his deputies at his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, on May 1, 2007. Erdogan unveiled a reform package, including having future presidents elected by popular vote instead of by parliament.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan addresses the media after a meeting with his deputies at his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, on May 1, 2007. Erdogan unveiled a reform package, including having future presidents elected by popular vote instead of by parliament.
Hide Caption
5 of 18
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan, gives a David Beckham signed soccer ball to a Turkish boy during at a garden party held for her birthday at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on May 16, 2008. It was the Queen's first visit to Turkey in 37 years.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan, gives a David Beckham signed soccer ball to a Turkish boy during at a garden party held for her birthday at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on May 16, 2008. It was the Queen's first visit to Turkey in 37 years.
Hide Caption
6 of 18
U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with Erdogan during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on December 7, 2009.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with Erdogan during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on December 7, 2009.
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7 of 18
Erdogan, his wife Emine, his grandchildren and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbas, left, greet the crowd at a presidential election rally in Istanbul on August 3, 2014.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan, his wife Emine, his grandchildren and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbas, left, greet the crowd at a presidential election rally in Istanbul on August 3, 2014.
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8 of 18
Erdogan attends a swearing in ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, on August 28, 2014. Erdogan was sworn in as Turkey's 12th president at a ceremony in parliament, cementing his position as the country's most powerful modern leader.
Photos: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan attends a swearing in ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, on August 28, 2014. Erdogan was sworn in as Turkey's 12th president at a ceremony in parliament, cementing his position as the country's most powerful modern leader.
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