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Military coup under way in Turkey as President Erdoğan tries to assert control Military coup under way in Turkey as President Erdoğan tries to assert control
(35 minutes later)
An attempted coup was under way in Turkey on Friday night, despite the country’s elected president claiming that his government remained in power and calling for his supporters to take to the streets. A military coup was under way in Turkey on Friday night, pitching one of the Middle East’s key powerbrokers into sudden turmoil, and forcing the country’s elected president to call for his supporters to take to the streets.
In a statement released through Turkish television channels, people claiming to speak for the Turkish military said the army was now in charge of the country, claiming that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government had eroded Turkey’s secular traditions. In a statement released through Turkish television channels, people claiming to speak for the military said the army was now in charge of the country, accusing the government of the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of eroding Turkey’s secular traditions. Military vehicles later shut off parts of major cities and imposed a de facto curfew, with gunfire heard in the capital, Ankara, and Istanbul, Turkey’s second city. Early on Saturday morning there were reports of a bomb blast at the Turkish parliament in Ankara.
In response, a spokesman for Erdoğan said the coup had been attempted by only a faction of the army, and that he was still in command of the country. On Friday, a spokesman for Erdoğan said the coup had been attempted by only a faction of the army, and that he was still in command of the country.
Erdoğan himself appeared unable to reach television studios, finally speaking with CNN two hours after the military began to make its move – via FaceTime. Erdoğan called on Turks, 49.5% of whom voted for his party last November, to rally in public. “I urge the Turkish people to convene at public squares and airports,” Erdoğan said. “There is no power higher than the power of the people,” he continued, adding that the judiciary “will swiftly respond to this attack”.
The events have the potential to change the dynamic of regional politics, with Turkey’s current government a key player – and previously a rare beacon of relative stability – in the troubled Middle East. A Nato member, Turkey hosts US military bases, is a major backer of rebel factions in the Syrian civil war, and a key partner in Europe’s attempt to stop migration flows.
Barack Obama urged all parties in Turkey to back the “democratically elected” government, a clear denunciation of the attempted coup.
Related: Turkey coup attempt: gunfire in Ankara as military aircraft fly over capitalRelated: Turkey coup attempt: gunfire in Ankara as military aircraft fly over capital
The president himself appeared unable to reach television studios, however, finally speaking with CNN some two hours after the military began to make its move via FaceTime on a mobile phone. Well past midnight in Turkey, Erdoğan called on Turks, some 49.5% of whom voted for his party last November, to respond to the coup by rallying in public. The Foreign Office has advised British citizens in Turkey to avoid public places. Other countries gave similar advice to their nationals.
“I urge the Turkish people to convene at public squares and airports,” Erdoğan said. “There is no power higher than the power of the people,” he continued, adding that the judiciary “will swiftly respond to this attack”. In statements to broadcasters, the coup’s leaders said that all foreign relations would remain stable under their control – even as a spokesman for the presidency claimed the president remained in power. “Turkey’s democratically elected president and government are in power,” the spokesman said. “We will not tolerate attempts to undermine our democracy.”
Earlier a spokesman for the presidency had claimed the president remained in control. “Turkey’s democratically elected president and government are in power,” the spokesman said. “We will not tolerate attempts to undermine our democracy.” He added: “A group within the armed forces has made an attempt to overthrow the democratically elected government outside the chain of command. The statement made on behalf of the armed forces wasn’t authorised by the military command. We urge the world to stand in solidarity with the Turkish people.” The presidency later claimed the coup attempt was mounted by a Gulenist faction within the army, referring to the dissident group headed by exiled Islamic scholar, Fethullah Gülen. The claim was denied by those close to the scholar.
He added: “A group within the armed forces has made an attempt to overthrow the democratically elected government outside the chain of command. The statement made on behalf of the armed forces wasn’t authorised by the military command. We urge the world to stand in solidarity with the Turkish people.” As the sun set across Turkey on Friday, there were few signs that anything unusual was about to unfold. But then came television reports that roads in Istanbul had been shut, leading to fears of another terrorist threat – days after dozens were killed by extremists at the city’s main airport.
Gunshots were heard in the capital, Ankara, as military planes flew low overhead, and in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, where secular campaigners based a shortlived protest movement against Erdoğan in 2013. Army vehicles fanned through Istanbul, Turkey’s second city, with tanks seen outside the country’s main airport, and military trucks filmed blocking the bridges connecting the city’s Asian and European sides. A soldier was filmed telling passers-by: “It’s a coup, go home.” As the night wore on, rumours of a coup instead began to spread – as military planes flew low overhead. Gunshots were heard in both the capital Ankara, and in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, where secular campaigners based a shortlived protest movement against Erdogan in 2013. On Istiklal, another of the city’s main streets, there was chaos, with people running in all directions. Some civilians seemed to be celebrating but others were criticising the army; including one man with a megaphone. A soldier fired his gun into the air in order to disperse the crowd.
A de facto curfew appeared to have been imposed by parts of the military, with one state channel reporting that martial law had been imposed. Army vehicles fanned out through Istanbul with tanks seen outside the country’s main airport, and military trucks filmed blocking the bridges connecting the city’s Asian and European sides. A soldier was filmed telling passers-by: “It’s a coup, go home.”
Turkey’s prime minister, Binali Yıldırım, nevertheless echoed his president’s words, telling a television interviewer: “Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command. The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.” A de facto curfew appeared to have been imposed by parts of the military, with one state channel reporting martial law had been imposed. Angry crowds in some areas then disregarded the apparent order, gathering to protest against the coup attempt. Some squared off against soldiers, with some army officials then reportedly opening fire in return. One video appeared to show soldiers and policemen squaring up against each other. Reuters reported that tanks had opened fire near the parliament in Ankara.
US President Barack Obama on Friday urged all parties in Turkey to back the “democratically-elected” government, a clear denunciation of the attempted coup. Some Turks rushed to stockpile food and water, and withdraw cash from banks, amid fears of a potential administrative meltdown in the coming days.
US secretary of state, John Kerry, said he had spoken to Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu. He said he had “emphasised the United States’ absolute support for Turkey’s democratically-elected civilian government and democratic institutions”. Turkey’s prime minister, Binali Yildirim, echoed his president’s words, telling a television interviewer: “Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command. The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.”
Turkey has the second biggest army in Nato after the US. It was a crucial ally during the cold war, although relations hit a bump in March 2003 when Turkey refused to let the US to invade Iraq from the north through Turkish territory. The presidency claimed it had the support of opposition leaders and the army high command – though Turkey has a long history of coups.
Now they are military partners, albeit with significant political differences, in the fight against Islamic State. Last year Turkey agreed to let US warplanes and armed drones use the Incirlik air base, just 60 miles from the north-west Syrian border, to carry out raids against Isis. The aircraft had previously flown from Iraq or Arab allies such as Jordan. Erdoğan’s Islamist-leaning government was believed to be in a stronger position than previous civilian administrations, shoring up his position during a decade of economic success. He also inserted loyalists into key parts of the state apparatus, and increasingly cracked down on suspected plotters.
Turkey has a long history of coups, the most recent occurring in 1997, and one of the most brutal in 1980. Erdoğan’s government was believed to be in a stronger position than most previous civilian administrations, shoring up his position during a decade of economic success. But recent events have destabilised the country, with Kurdish rebels fighting a new insurgency in the south-east of the country. The Syrian civil war has also spilt over into Turkey, with Isis mounting a series of terror attacks across Turkey in the past year, killing hundreds.
But recent events in Turkey and across Middle East have destabilised the country, with Kurdish rebels fighting a new insurgency in the south-east of the country. The Syrian civil war, raging across Turkey’s southern border, has also spilt over into Turkey, with Isis mounting a series of terror attacks across Turkey in the past year, killing hundreds.
Members of the military established a curfew across parts of the country, television channels reported. Some Turks rushed to stockpile food and water, and withdraw cash from banks, admit fears of a potential administrative meltdown in the coming days.
Erdoğan’s Islamist-aligned government was also perceived by liberal wings of Turkish society to be infringing on the secular traditions established by the father of the modern Turkish state, Kemal Ataturk.Erdoğan’s Islamist-aligned government was also perceived by liberal wings of Turkish society to be infringing on the secular traditions established by the father of the modern Turkish state, Kemal Ataturk.
Observers were left fearing the regional repercussions of the attempted coup, with Turkey a major backer of rebel factions in the Syrian civil war, and a key partner in Europe’s attempt to stop migration flows to Europe.