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Turkey coup: 'more than 100 plotters killed' in failed uprising – live updates Turkey coup: 'more than 100 plotters killed' in failed uprising – live updates
(35 minutes later)
10.23am BST 10.52am BST
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Coup was a black stain for Turkish demoncracy - PM Emily Thornberry MP, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, said:
Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirum is addressing the media in Ankara. He says the coup was a “black stain” on Turkish democracy. We welcome the fact that democratic rule is prevailing in Turkey, and applaud the Turkish people - including many opposed to the current government - who bravely united to stand up for democracy.
Yildirum calls the coup-plotters terrorists, but says the nation has answered their attempt effectively. We mourn all those who have been killed and injured in the last 24 hours, and we urge everyone in Turkey, on all sides, to end the bloodshed and ensure there is no recrimination.
10.20am BST We urge the Turkish government now to recognise the need to unify the country and show greater respect for human rights, free speech and justice. These events cannot be used as justification for yet further repression and division.
10:20 10.49am BST
Turkey’s government has the coup situation “90% under control”, although some military commanders are still being held hostage by the plotters, the EU minister, Omer Celik, has said. 10:49
Celik’s comments were broadcast live on the private channel NTV. Federica Mogherini, vice-president of the European Commission, conveyed an urgent meeting of EU member states’ foreign ministers and representatives, who are currently at a summit in Mongolia, to assess the situation in Turkey.
According to a statement, they expressed support to the democratic institutions of Turkey and condemned the use of violence against them.
It said: “They agreed that any escalation of violence involving civilians has to be avoided.
“The ministers will meet again in Brussels for the Foreign Affairs Council, and will discuss again the situation in Turkey at that occasion.”
Mogherini spoke with Turkish Foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, and has been in contact with other foreign ministers and with NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg.
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Death penalty an option - Turkish PM
Asked if re-introducing the death penalty was an option for dealing with coup-plotters, Yildirim said the Turkish government will consider legal changes.
The Turkish PM said the death penalty is not in the constitution but legal changes will be considered.
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10:14 10:39
Turkish Airlines has said its operations at Istanbul Ataturk airport have returned to normal and flights are resuming, according to the Press Association. Turkish authorities have issued an alarm to border gates and airports upon being informed that prominent members of the Gulen Movement, including journalists, might flee the country following the overnight attempted military coup, according to state-run press agency Anadolu.
The report says authorities discovered the plans after lists were found detailing the commanders and their deputies to be put in charge during the period of martial law if the coup had succeeded.
Turkey’s acting chief of the general staff, Gen. Umit Dundar, said Saturday that the military is determined to purge members of the movement of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric living in exile in Pennsylvania, from the ranks.
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Countries are lining up to condemn the overnight military coup attempt in Turkey, AP reports.
Spain’s acting foreign minister, Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo, tells Spanish national television that his government completely supports the Turkish government headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He says “we condemn all coups without reservation.”
And the Gulf nation of Qatar, which has close ties to Erdogan’s government, said it supports all legal measures Turkey’s government takes to maintain security and stability.
The official Qatar News Agency reported Saturday that the ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, has spoken with Erdogan by phone to express Qatar’s support.
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I’ll post a summary of Yildirim’s press conference shortly.
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Turkey’s state run press agency Anadolu is reporting that soldiers who have taken over the Chief of General Staff Headquarters as part of an attempted coup have requested negotiations to surrender. The first stage of the coup is over, Yildirim says.
According to a Turkish official at the presidency, that is the last base the coup supporters hold. The Turkish PM called on Turkish citizens to fill town and city squares with Turkish flags tonight.
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The UK’s recently-appointed foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, has been speaking to Sky News. He said:
We’ve been following the developments in Turkey and we’re concerned about what’s been going on there.
First we want to urge calm and the avoidance of any further bloodshed. It’s crucial we respect the democratic institutions of Turkey.
That’s a message that was very much echoed by the Turkish foreign minister, my counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, to whom I spoke a couple of hours ago. He was very grateful for UK support at the UN and elsewhere.
Obviously I’ve spoken to our diplomatic staff in Ankara and in Istanbul. They’re doing a fantastic job. They’re working very hard, as you can imagine, to do the best for the many Brits who are there, the many people who are there on holiday. They should follow the travel advice and we’ll do our best to update you as soon as we can.
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Airspace over Turkey’s northwest Marmara region has been closed to civilian flights, which will resume at 6.05pm GMT, according to the Anadolu, the Turkish state-run press agency. 2,839 members of Turkish army detained - Turkish PM
9.54am BST Yildirim says 2,839 members of the Army have been detained.
09:54 Those detained range from ordinary soldiers to high-ranking officers, he says.
The Russian foreign ministry has released a statement warning that the coup poses an “increased danger” to international and regional stability. It said: Updated
The aggravating political situation (in Turkey) against the backdrop of existing terrorist threats in this country and an armed conflict in the region pose increased danger to international and regional stability. at 10.58am BST
Forces loyal to the Turkish government fought on Saturday to crush the remnants of a military coup attempt which crumbled after crowds answered President Tayyip Erdogan’s call to take to the streets and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks. 10.30am BST
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09:48 The Turkish president and the Turkish people have together overcome the uprising, the Turkish PM says.
Former British Army chief of general staff Lord Dannatt says it is important that Britain is able to work with Turkey “reliably and dependably” given its role fighting Islamic State in neighbouring Syria and Iraq. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: Those who opened fire on Turkish citizens are ‘worse than’ the Kurdish PKK, Yildirim says.
Of course Turkey is an important Nato ally, where Turkey sits vis-a-vis the fight against Isil’s so-called Islamic State is absolutely critical. Updated
Yes of course it’s got its own internal divisions and difficulties vis-a-vis the Kurdish aspect of that conflict but it’s really important that we can work reliably and dependably with Turkey because Turkey is an important part in this fight, really critical fight, to defeat Islamic State. at 10.58am BST
9.37am BST 10.28am BST
09:37 10:28
9.33am BST The coup-plotters should know that no one can “play games” with the stability of Turkey and the love of freedom and democracy its civilians have, the Turkish PM says.
09:33 The nation will never forget these people who committed treason, Yildirim says.
Here’s a breakdown of the death toll in the Turkish coup, as provided by General Umit Dundar, the newly appointed acting chief of the general staff. More than 190 people dead: He thanks those who stood up against the tanks and risked their lives for their country’s independence.
9.27am BST Updated
09:27 at 10.57am BST
Piero Castellano is a photojournalist based in Ankara. 10.26am BST
He told the BBC that after President Erdogan appeared on TV, Turks surged onto the streets. 10:26
People rushed to the main square, to rush to the tanks and the armoured carriers - it was a bloodbath. It was unexpected. Yildirim says the police and security forces risked their lives to restore order.
There is a very strong link, or maybe there was until last night, there was a very strong link between the Turkish people and their military. Turkish law will now deal with coup-plotters, they will be punished accordingly, Yildirim says.
So people were shocked when the military actually fired on the crowd. Updated
at 10.57am BST
10.23am BST
10:23
Coup was a black stain for Turkish demoncracy - Turkish PM
Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim is addressing the media in Ankara. He says the coup was a “black stain” on Turkish democracy.
Yildirim calls the coup-plotters terrorists, but says the nation has answered their attempt effectively.
Updated
at 10.57am BST