At at least 90 people were killed and 1,154 injured in failed coup. Some 1,563 soldiers have been arrested in Turkey. The head of the country’ armed forces has been rescued after being held hostage during a coup attempt by a military faction which used tanks and attack helicopters to try to seize power, a senior official said.Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told broadcaster NTV today that the situation in the country was “largely under control”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Istanbul from the coastal city of Marmaris. Earlier, speaking to thousands of supporters outside Ataturk Airport on Saturday morning, Erdogan said the coup plotters had pointed the people’s guns against the people. Al Jazeera reports from Ankara said the city had been quiet for several hours.
An overthrow of the government was attempted late Friday by a group within the Turkish military, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
In the moments after the attempted coup began, Erdogan urged Turks to “go to squares, let us give them the best answer.”
He delivered the message in a video from a cell phone that was broadcast on national television from what appeared to be a private residence.
Arriving in Istanbul hours later, the Turkish president said he would not leave Ataturk Airport until the situation in the country returns to normal.
“Turkish Airlines began its operations. There is a small distress in Ankara,” Erdogan told a large crowd gathered at the airport.
“There is no leaving here until this situation goes back to normal. I will not leave, too,” he said.
Erdogan slammed U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of leading a terrorist organization and attempting to infiltrate and overthrow the democratically-elected government in Turkey.
“It is enough the betrayal you have done to this nation,” Erdogan said, though not mentioning Gulen’s name, and called him to return to Turkey to face trial.
India has said it has been closely following the developments in Turkey. In a statement, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson today said that New Delhi calls upon all sides to support democracy and mandate of the ballot, and avoid bloodshed.