Tanks seen at Istanbul airport and bridges are closed down. Internet has been cut, or at least social media … more to come.
Turkey soldiers launch ‘illegal action’ – PM Yildirim | BBC News |
Turkey’s PM has denounced an “illegal action” by a military “group”, with bridges closed in Istanbul and aircraft flying low over the capital, Ankara.
Binali Yildirim said the military action was not authorised but it was not a coup. He said that the government remained in charge.
Traffic has been stopped from crossing both the Bosphorus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges in Istanbul. There are also reports of gunshots in the capital Ankara.
These are early reports, none can be corroborated what is really happening at the moment.
Shooting heard in Ankara, military jets & helicopters flying over city – witnesses | RT |
Part of the military is attempting a coup in Turkey, the country’s Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said, following reports of military jets and helicopters flying low over Ankara and Istanbul.
“Some people took illegal action outside of the chain of command,” Yildirim told news network NTV. “The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so,” he added.
A military helicopter has reportedly opened fire in the district of Ankara where the Turkish National Intelligence Organization headquarters is situated.
According to local news agencies, a large number of ambulance vehicles has been sent towards the Turkish General Staff building in the capital.
According to reports on Twitter, the authorities have closed the two Bosporus bridges in Istanbul, where military jets have also been spotted flying.
Turkish Military Takes Down Wannabe-Sultan? | MoA |
There are some signs that the military in Turkey is currently launching a coup against the wannabe-Sultan’s government.
This is developing and unconfirmed.
Some very recent tweets (All time stamps on Turkish timezone) …
Islamic militants?
Very doubtful. The Islamists were running the government already.
WBBM reporting that the shooting started shortly after a French flag was raised in solidarity with France. On the surface this sounds like the rebels supported the bombing in France, but it could be bogus like the Libyan video story.
Timing could be coincidental.
Erdogan is blaming Gulenists, but I haven’t a clue if that could be true and if it is, sounds like uncharted territory for Turkey.
Yes and yes.
Erdogan has made peace with Netanyahu and Putin in recent days.
Erdogan has made war with Syria (Assad) and could not compromise with the Salafists of KSA, UAE and Egypt. Syria stayed a mess because of the ambivalence in Turkey’s support for the jihadist rebel groups, just like the Republicans and Democrats of U.S. Congress.
○ Secr. Clinton’s Embrace of Erdogan, Muslim Brothers and Chaos
○ Erdogan: A New Hitler Stands Up
Erdogan was the poster boy of the Hillary Clinton years at State. After the failure of Morsi and Muslim Brothers in Egypt, it’s the authoritarian Erdogan usurping all power of all branches of government. He went too far, however he felt assured by unlimited support from NATO as a key ally.
○ Sultan Erdogan of the Emirate of Turkey – June 2013
○ Muslim Brothers Axis Egypt – Turkey – Qatar Faces Defeat – July 2013
my guess is the timing is related to Kerry doubling down to get some settlement in Syria and Erdogan an obstacle thereto. No need to refight the previous [cold] war, since Russia also has an interest in stabilizing Syria and possibly Erdogan gone.
F16 has shot down a military helicopter
At security HQ reportedly 17 policemen shot and killed
Erdogan’s call for people to walk the Streets and defy the military participating in the coup attempt seems to have effect
Governor of Istanbul days the military are doomed to fail
A crowd has taken over Ataturk airport and told military to leave within one hour
People in the street oppose the coup
Young Turks Live stream
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appears on television through a Apple FaceTime video connection to address the nation.
“FaceTime isn’t available or might not appear on devices purchased in Saudi Arabia,
Pakistan, and United Arab Emirates, including Dubai”
○ European Turks demonstrate in support of Erdogan as coup continues
Looks like the coup attempt has been ended, for now. Appears only a faction of the Turkish military was involved, making it relatively easily resisted. Not exactly a fan of Erdogan, but not too keen on coups and coup attempts either. Would rather see Erdogan sufficiently weakened to be deposed democratically. Hard to say if these recent events will do that or give him more leverage in the near to medium future.
The latter … will work out well for the authoritarian Erdogan and sweeping presidential powers through constitutional change. All three branches of government under his direction and supervision. A real democrat as NATO and US ally in the region. Separation with Europe and human rights will be greater.
The risk of Erdogan using this attempt as an excuse to essentially make himself a strongman-style leader (by pushing through the constitutional changes that he has long championed), at the expense of a parliamentary style system is pretty high. That does not bode well for dissident parties or civil society.
Military factions blame politicians [re: Erdogan] for failed foreign policy and on domestic issue using attacks on Kurds for political gain [read: subvert democracy for authorianism]. The support of the Erdogan regime with its intelligence services MIT are responsible for their support of jihadists [Islamic extremists] having freedom to cross border into Syria. The blowback has been numerous bomb attacks inside Turkey from the Islamic State and the militant Kurdish factions.
I understand the coup military attacked the HQ of MIT at the start of their action and also the building of parliament. There seems to be some resistence by military surrounding the presidential palace in Ankara.
The military coup stated they wanted to preserve democracy and secularism. Erdogan and the AKP want to progress towards a state on Islamic law and principles.
○ Post Terror Islamophobia: A Rebuttal
○ NATO Partner Turkey Bombing Kurds in Iraq and Not ISIS