President Erdogan says military elements guilty of 'treason', as he tells nation government is in charge, after violent clashes in Ankara and Istanbul leave 'at least 90 dead'

  • Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media
    Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media CREDIT: KENAN GURBUZ
  • *17 police 'killed by military helicopter in Ankara'
  • *'Total of at least 90' casualties in night of chaos
  • *All flights in and out of Turkey suspended
  • *Low flying jets and gunfire heard in Turkish capital
  • *Both of Istanbul's bridges across the Bosphorus closed
  • *Turkey flights and holidays: what should I do if I am in Turkey or going there on holiday soon?​
  • Turkey coup: in pictures



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.
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.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media CREDIT: KENAN GURBUZ
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.
Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel CREDIT: VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO/AFP
"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.”
 Fethullah Gulen 
 Fethullah Gulen  CREDIT: SELAHATTIN SEVI/AP

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 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.

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.

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.

'42 dead'

NTV television quotes prosecutor's office in Ankara saying at least 42 people have been killed in 'attacks' in the capital. 

Dawn breaks over Istanbul

Zia Weise, the Telegraph's correspondent in Istanbul, says things have calmed down in the city now.

Parliament damage emerges

Istanbul's main airport back under government control

Soldiers have taken control of Istanbul's main Ataturk airport on Saturday.
The state-run Anadolu news agency said operations at the airport were back to normal and that flights would begin again at 6.00 am (3am GMT).
The move comes after Erdogan landed there and greeted supporters.

Parliament 'secure'

Mr Yildirim tells CNN Turk that they expect soldiers up to the rank of colonels to have been involved in the coup attempt, but he has no information on who organised it. 
He says parliament is secure and those within are safe. There will be an assembly on Saturday at 2pm, he says. 

'More than 120 arrested'

The Turkish PM says rebel soldiers in Ankara and Istanbul are still firing from the air. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says more than 120 arrested and "things are getting better every minute."  

Soldiers 'rounded up'

Pictures have emerged purportedly showing young soldiers who took part in the attempted coup being rounded up by civilians and police.

'Direct involvement' of cleric in US

A lawyer for the Turkish government says "there are indications of direct involvement" in the coup attempt of a cleric who is living in exile in Pennsylvania.
Robert Amsterdam said in a statement that he and his firm "have attempted repeatedly to warn the US government of the threat posed" by Fethullah Gulen and his movement.
He says that according to Turkish intelligence sources, "there are signs that Gulen is working closely with certain members of military leadership against the elected civilian government."
The president of a group that promotes Gulen's ideas denied the charges.
Y. Alp Aslandogan of the New York-based Alliance for Shared Values tells The Associated Press "we categorically deny such accusations and find them to be highly irresponsible."
Earlier in the evening, the alliance said, "we condemn any military intervention in (the) domestic politics of Turkey."

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