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Next version
| Version 18 | Version 19 |
|---|---|
| Turkey coup attempt: Erdoğan calls military uprising treason – live updates | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 8.39am BST | |
| 08:39 | |
| The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has warned that flights to Turkey are being diverted or cancelled. | |
| #Turkey Some flights to airports in Turkey are being diverted or cancelled. Check latest FCO Travel Advice https://t.co/3RQE0ngQEf | |
| 8.34am BST | |
| 08:34 | |
| Eyewitness accounts to the dramatic, and confusing, events in Turkey overnight are filtering through. British-Turkish writer Alev Scott, 29, who lives about 200 metres from the square, spoke to the Press Association about her night. | |
| I went through Taksim Square and there were soldiers and police. | |
| It was fairly quiet - a bit of shouting. There aren’t normally lots of soldiers, just some police, but recently there have been some soldiers there and I wonder if that was connected. | |
| When I got home I heard there was shooting in Taksim Square and I started hearing the gunfire and the call to prayer - but it wasn’t the call to prayer - it was completely the wrong time of night. | |
| I don’t know whether they were calling people to the streets - it could be. | |
| So then I was watching things from my terrace, watching the military vehicles on the Bosphorus Bridge and then these sonic booms started. | |
| It was actually quite scary so I went down into my flat just keeping away from the windows which had all blown open. | |
| 8.32am BST | |
| 08:32 | |
| Here’s some video of Turkish police attempting to arrest soldiers involved in the coup before being overrun by civilians. WARNING: some viewers may find the images distressing. | |
| cnn'de darbecilere önce polis, sonra siviller müdahale etti pic.twitter.com/fiw5jVRC9v | |
| 8.27am BST | |
| 08:27 | |
| Jamie Grierson | |
| Hello, Jamie Grierson here. The UK’s new foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, has confirmed on Twitter that he has spoken to Turkey’s foreign minister. | |
| Just spoken to #Turkey foreign minister @MevlutCavusoglu. I underlined #UK support for the democratic elected government & institutions | |
| 8.24am BST | |
| 08:24 | |
| Claire Phipps | |
| I’m now handing over the live blog to my colleague Jamie Grierson in London, who’ll continue to bring you the latest developments, including an expected statement from prime minister Binali Yildirim at around 11am local time. | |
| The latest summary of events is here: | |
| Related: Turkey's attempted coup: what we know so far | |
| 8.21am BST | |
| 08:21 | |
| Patrick Kingsley | |
| Istanbul is returning to some degree of normality. I just took a couple of taxis and a ferry, and people are up and about. | |
| On the Bosphorus bridge, where we saw the first sign of a coup in Istanbul, after soldiers closed it late last night, there are jubilant Erdoğan supporters celebrating their perceived victory. Many wave Turkish flags – some of them from the tops of abandoned military vehicles that were left behind after the coup plotters beat a swift retreat this morning. | |
| One of the final outposts of the putschists seems to be at the armed forces headquarters in Ankara, where pro-government forces are still trying to secure the site. | |
| Some people have climbed inside the army trucks to wave their flags. They think the coup has failed pic.twitter.com/nPbYNhk245 | |
| 8.14am BST | |
| 08:14 | |
| Some in Turkey are saying they’ve received SMS messages on Saturday morning from authorities encouraging them to gather in the streets again today in support of democracy. | |
| Many of those protesting say they do not support the government or Erdoğan but will demonstrate in support of the democratically elected government in the face of an attempted – if apparently failed – military coup. | |
| SMS fra tyrkiske myndigheder her til morgen opfordrer folk til at gå på gaden for at støtte demokrati pic.twitter.com/ObzyBkCj9B | |
| 8.11am BST | |
| 08:11 | |
| President Erdoğan – or at least the elected government – has received backing too from China and Japan today. | |
| In China, state television cited the foreign ministry in Beijing calling on Turkey to restore order and stability as soon as possible. | |
| In Japan, prime minister Shinzo Abe said Turkey’s democracy must be respected, and that peace and order should be swiftly restored. | |
| 7.54am BST | 7.54am BST |
| 07:54 | 07:54 |
| The state news agency, Anadolu, says the death toll has risen to 90. | The state news agency, Anadolu, says the death toll has risen to 90. |
| A further 1,154 people have been wounded, it reports. | A further 1,154 people have been wounded, it reports. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.56am BST | at 7.56am BST |
| 7.51am BST | 7.51am BST |
| 07:51 | 07:51 |
| MPs are currently holding an extraordinary meeting, called by prime minister Binali Yildirim, to discuss the attempted coup. | MPs are currently holding an extraordinary meeting, called by prime minister Binali Yildirim, to discuss the attempted coup. |
| The meeting is taking place in the parliament building targeted overnight by soldiers involved in the coup, and which suffered damage from several explosions: | The meeting is taking place in the parliament building targeted overnight by soldiers involved in the coup, and which suffered damage from several explosions: |
| 7.36am BST | 7.36am BST |
| 07:36 | 07:36 |
| The number of military personnel arrested after the attempted coup now stands at 1,563. | The number of military personnel arrested after the attempted coup now stands at 1,563. |
| 7.34am BST | 7.34am BST |
| 07:34 | 07:34 |
| Insisting he remains firmly in control, President Erdoğan made clear in his various statements that the attempted coup would provide an opportunity to “clean out” the armed forces. He compared those behind the coup to “terrorist groups”. | Insisting he remains firmly in control, President Erdoğan made clear in his various statements that the attempted coup would provide an opportunity to “clean out” the armed forces. He compared those behind the coup to “terrorist groups”. |
| Here are some of his key quotes: | Here are some of his key quotes: |
| What is being perpetrated is a treason and a rebellion. They will pay a heavy price for this act of treason. We will not leave our country to occupiers. | What is being perpetrated is a treason and a rebellion. They will pay a heavy price for this act of treason. We will not leave our country to occupiers. |
| Those who stain the military’s reputation must leave. The process has started today, and it will continue just as we fight other terrorist groups. | Those who stain the military’s reputation must leave. The process has started today, and it will continue just as we fight other terrorist groups. |
| They have pointed the people’s guns against the people. The president, whom 52% 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. | They have pointed the people’s guns against the people. The president, whom 52% 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. |
| 7.10am BST | 7.10am BST |
| 07:10 | 07:10 |
| What we know so far | What we know so far |
| Claire Phipps | Claire Phipps |
| The picture from Turkey is clearer on Saturday morning, with president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan insisting he remains in charge after a night in which a military faction attempted to overthrow the government. | The picture from Turkey is clearer on Saturday morning, with president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan insisting he remains in charge after a night in which a military faction attempted to overthrow the government. |
| But pockets of fighting continue, with some of those behind the coup claiming to be fighting on. | But pockets of fighting continue, with some of those behind the coup claiming to be fighting on. |
| Here is what we know: | Here is what we know: |
| The attempted coup | The attempted coup |
| Deaths and arrests | Deaths and arrests |
| Erdoğan’s response | Erdoğan’s response |
| Gülen denies involvement | Gülen denies involvement |
| I condemn, in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey. Government should be won through a process of free and fair elections, not force. | I condemn, in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey. Government should be won through a process of free and fair elections, not force. |
| As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations. | As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations. |
| International reaction | International reaction |
| Turkey is a key partner for the European Union. The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law. | Turkey is a key partner for the European Union. The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law. |
| The democratic order in Turkey must be respected. Everything needs to be done to protect human lives. | The democratic order in Turkey must be respected. Everything needs to be done to protect human lives. |
| Military interference in the affairs of any state is unacceptable. | Military interference in the affairs of any state is unacceptable. |
| We should all urge calm and respect for laws, institutions, and basic human rights and freedoms – and support for the democratically elected civilian government. | We should all urge calm and respect for laws, institutions, and basic human rights and freedoms – and support for the democratically elected civilian government. |
| Very concerned by events unfolding in #Turkey. Our Embassy is monitoring the situation closely. Brits should follow FCO website for advice | Very concerned by events unfolding in #Turkey. Our Embassy is monitoring the situation closely. Brits should follow FCO website for advice |
| Turkey on Saturday | Turkey on Saturday |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.35am BST | at 7.35am BST |
| 6.46am BST | 6.46am BST |
| 06:46 | 06:46 |
| Patrick Kingsley | Patrick Kingsley |
| Turkey has a long history of coups: the most recent occurring in 1997, and one of the most brutal in 1980. President Erdoğan’s Islamist-leaning government was believed to be in a stronger position than most previous civilian administrations, shoring up his position during a decade of economic success. He also inserted sympathisers and 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. President Erdoğan’s Islamist-leaning government was believed to be in a stronger position than most previous civilian administrations, shoring up his position during a decade of economic success. He also inserted sympathisers and loyalists into key parts of the state apparatus and increasingly cracked down on suspected plotters. |
| But recent events in Turkey and across the 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 Islamic State mounting a series of terror attacks across Turkey in the past year, killing hundreds. | But recent events in Turkey and across the 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 Islamic State mounting a series of terror attacks across Turkey in the past year, killing hundreds. |
| 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 Atatürk. But it is also opposed by followers of Fethullah Gülen, the exiled leader of another Islamist-minded movement. | 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 Atatürk. But it is also opposed by followers of Fethullah Gülen, the exiled leader of another Islamist-minded movement. |