photo: anadolu
Turkey detains over 750 army personnel after foiled coup attempt
ISTANBUL
At least 754 army personnel have been reported to have detained across Turkey on Saturday, according to the country’s Interior ministry.
Parallel state military personnel including 5 generals, 29 colonels, have also suspended by the Interior Minister, reports Anadoluo.
A group within the Turkish military attempted an overthrow of the government, 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.
At least 42 people have been killed during the Gulen-orchestrated parallel state’s military coup attempt in Ankara’s Golbasi district, authorities said Saturday.
The district’s prosecutor office opened a detailed investigation with the special operations department, aviation department of security general directorate, police academy and satellite agency Turksat’s campus into the coup attempt.
The office said the attempted overthrow has been repelled and that the situation is now under control.
Meanwhile, 20 other parallel state members who attempted to occupy state TV channel TRT have been detained by Turkish security forces.