Turkish military launch coup to depose Islamist government of Recep Erdogan

The Turkish military has announced it has taken control and overthrown the government of Recep Erdogan as troops round up police and attack the capital Ankara.

Breaking News ! Turkish military launch coup to depose Islamist government of Recep Erdogan

The Turkish military has announced it has taken control and overthrown the government of Recep Erdogan as troops round up police and attack the capital Ankara.

Eyewitnesses have reported attack helicopters firing machine guns in the capital Ankara in a bid to depose the Islamic government.The military said they have taken control in order to protect human rights, however, prime minister Binali Yildirim said only a ‘faction’ was involved.

Fast attack jets and helicopters were heard above Ankara and Istanbul after the military confirmed they had seized control of the country,.

Istanbul’s Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge were both closed after the military deployed roadblocks.

Tracer fire from Turkish military helicopters was spotted over Ankara.

In a statement sent by email and reported on Turkish TV channels, the military said all of Turkey’s existing foreign relations would be maintained and that the rule of law would remain the priority.

According to the military tonight’s action will ‘reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated’.

The military statement went on to say that ‘all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue’.

Turkey’s top general has been taken hostage at the military headquarters in the capital Ankara after an attempt to bring down the government, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

‘General Hulusi Akar has been taken hostage by a group in the military who attempted an uprising.’

Troops have rounded up police officers loyal to the government, according to witnesses.

CNN Turkey showed two military vehicles and a group of soldiers lined up at the entrance of one of the bridges in Turkey’s biggest city.

A Turkish official who did not want to be named said soldiers had been deployed in other cities in Turkey, but did not specify which ones.

Dogan News Agency reported the national police directorate summoned all police to duty in Ankara.

Turkish fighter jets have been reported over Ankara.

Gunfire has been reported.
Yildirim on Friday denounced what he said was an ‘illegal attempt’ by elements in the military after bridges were partially shut down in Istanbul and jets flew low over Ankara.

‘We are working on the possibility of an attempt. We will not allow this attempt,’ he told NTV television by telephone, without expanding on the nature of the move but saying it was by a group in the Turkish military.

‘Those who are in this illegal act will pay the highest price,’ he added, saying it would not be correct to describe the move as a ‘coup’.

Yildirim did not provide details, but said Turkey would never allow any ‘initiative that would interrupt democracy’.

Earlier, military jets were heard flying over the capital, Ankara.

Media reports said ambulances were seen in front of Turkey’s military headquarters.

Fast attack jets and helicopters have been reported over Ankara.

Gunshots have reportedly been heard near the presidential palace in Ankara.

The mayor of Ankara has also reportedly called people onto the streets.

Yildirim didn’t provide details, but said Turkey would never allow any ‘initiative that would interrupt democracy.’

‘We are focusing on the possibility of an attempt (coup),’ Yildirim said. ‘There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy.’

Earlier, military jets were heard flying over the capital, Ankara.

The Dogan news agency says one-way traffic on the Bosporus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges were blocked. Video footage showed the bridge being blocked by military vehicles.

All flights into Ankara and Istanbul have been cancelled.

The Saudi foreign minister in Washington said he is not willing to speculate as to what is currently happening.

All flights from Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport have been cancelled/

Turkey’s armed forces said on Friday they had taken power in the country to protect the democratic order and to maintain human rights.

As at now, there has been no word of Turkish president Recep Erdogan.