ANKARA, Turkey — The Latest on an attempted military coup in Turkey (all times local):
11:20 p.m.
The moderate U.S.-based Islamic cleric that Turkey’s president is blaming for a failed coup attempt is strongly denying that he is responsible for the unrest or has any knowledge of who is.
At a news conference Saturday in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, Fethullah Gulen stressed he left Turkey over 15 years ago. He says he no longer follows developments in Turkey and doesn’t even know “who my followers are.”
Gulen says there could be many motives behind an attempted coup against former ally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — whether sympathizers of himself or the opposition party. But Gulen says he wouldn’t know.
Erdogan has called on the U.S. to extradite Gulen. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Turkey must prove his wrongdoing but will carefully look at the evidence.
Gulen says Erdogan made a “false accusation,” and that he wouldn’t have returned to Turkey even if the coup had succeeded.
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11 p.m.
Thousands have gathered in Ankara’s Kizilay Square following a call to defend democracy from Turkey’s prime minister.
Crowds waving Turkish flags on Saturday night chanted “martyrs are immortal, our land is cannot be divided!”
Nusret Tuzak, a government supporter in Ankara, says: “We are here for democracy, so the country lasts, the wellness of the public. This is our country. I’m against the coup as a retired soldier. We don’t want to any coup attempt so that’s why we are standing here.”
A day earlier, thousands turned out to help repel a coup attempt that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is blaming on a U.S.-based moderate cleric, Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan says he will ask the U.S. to extradite Gulen, but the cleric denies having anything to do with the failed coup attempt in Turkey.
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10:25 p.m.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the Obama administration would entertain an extradition request for the U.S.-based cleric that Turkey’s president is blaming for a failed coup attempt.
In a televised speech Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the United States should extradite Fethullah Gulen, a former ally.
Visiting Luxembourg, Kerry said Turkey would have to prove the wrongdoing of Gulen, who left Turkey in 1999 and is living in exile in Pennsylvania. Washington has never found any evidence particularly compelling previously.
Kerry says “we would invite the government of Turkey, as we always do, to present us with any legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny. And the United States will accept that and look at it and make judgments about it appropriately.”
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9:55 p.m.
Turkish officials — including the president, the prime minister andthe interior minister — are urging supporters to come out to city squares again overnight to defend democracy — and thousands have responded to their calls.
Massive crowds are singing and waving Turkish flags in Istanbul’s neighbourhood of Kisikli, in Izmir’s Konak square, and in the northeastern city of Erzincan. A festive crowd has also formed in Ankara’s Kizilay square.
Tens of thousands turned out Friday night to repel a coup attempt that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is blaming on a U.S.-based moderate cleric Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan says he will ask the U.S. to extradite Gulen.
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9:05 p.m.
President Barack Obama is pledging U.S. co-operation with the Turkish government to help maintain safety after the failed coup attempt.
In a statement, the White House says Obama received a morning briefing from national security advisers about the situation in Turkey. The White House says there are no indications that any Americans were killed or injured in the violence. Obama stressed the need for the democratically elected government “to act within the rule of law” and avoid actions leading to further instability.
Obama has instructed his team to continue working with the Turkish government to maintain the safety of diplomatic personnel and U.S. service members.
Obama has emphasized Turkey’s role in joint U.S. efforts against terrorism and reiterated the United States’ unwavering support for the Turkish government.
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8:55 p.m.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the United States to extradite a Muslim cleric he accuses of being behind Turkey’s failed coup attempt.
In a televised speech on Saturday night, Erdogan said as Turkey’s strategic partner Washington should meet the demand for the extradition of Pennsylvania-based Fethullah Gulen.
Erdogan said Turkey had never turned back any extradition request for “terrorists” by the United States.
A Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations, said Turkey “has been preparing a formal application with detailed information about Gulen’s involvement in illegal activities. After last night we have one more thing to add to an already extensive list.”
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8:35 p.m.
A Turkish senior official says that Akin Ozturk, a former air force commander, is one of the “masterminds of the coup.” He says initial evidence suggests ties between the failed coup’s masterminds, including Ozturk and the Gulenist Movement.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government rules. The official said Erdal Teczan, a constitutional Court judge, had been detained over his alleged participation in the coup plot.
He said the masterminds’ immediate goal was to seize control of key areas including Istanbul’s Bosphorus Bridge and Taksim Square. They also sought to take down satellite infrastructure and seize telecommunications hubs.
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8:25 p.m.
Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni says Turkish authorities must do their utmost to ensure “respect for the rule of law, of fundamental rights and of parliament’s role” following the failed military coup.
In a statement Saturday evening, Gentiloni expresses relief that Turkey thwarted a “military adventure that would have brought the country into chaos with the return of ghosts of the past.”
Gentiloni says the prompt return to stability is urgent but must occur without “indulging in the logic of violence.”
Italy is also an outspoken opponent of the death penalty. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Saturday, responding to crowds calling for a return to the death penalty, said: “We got your message. The necessary will be done.”
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8:05 p.m.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry is expressing concern about tensions in Turkey in the wake of the attempted military coup.
“The aggravation of the political situation in the context of the terrorist threats existing in the country and armed conflict in the region carry a high risk to international and regional stability,” the ministry said in a statement Saturday. “We call on the government and people of Turkey to solve the existing problems without violence, to respect the constitutional order.”
Tensions between Russia and Turkey have been strong since last year when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the border with Syria. However, relations appeared to be moving toward repair after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued an apology for the incident last month.
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8 p.m.
As Prime Minister Binali Yildirim addressed crowds who gathered outside parliament, some of those assembled began to shout, “We want the death penalty! We want the death penalty!” They were referring to plotters of the attempted coup.
Yildirim responded: “We got your message. The necessary will be done.”
Turkey scrapped the death penalty more than a decade ago.
The prime minister also asked the crowds to walk to Ankara’s main square nearby and remain in the streets to keep a second night of “watch for democracy.”
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7:55 p.m.
Turkey’s state-run news agency says the commander of the country’s second army has been arrested as part of an investigation into the attempted coup.
The second army is based in eastern Turkey to counter threats from Syria, Iran and Iraq.
Anadolu Agency says Gen. Adem Huduti was detained for questioning in the eastern city of Malatya, where the army is based. It says a garrison commander and two brigadier generals were detained as well.
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7:50 p.m.
Defence Minister Fikri Isik says state authorities are in full control of all areas in Turkey following the coup attempt.
Isik said Saturday that Turkey can confidently say it has thwarted the coup attempt but warns that authorities have to remain vigilant.
Isik said that “at any time there could be new tests, new attempts. We have prevented the coup, but it is too soon to say that the danger is over.”
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7:30 p.m.
Turkey’s four main political parties have released a joint declaration during an extraordinary parliamentary meeting held in the wake of the country’s failed coup attempt.
The four parties on Saturday strongly condemned the attempted coup and warned that any attempt against the people or the parliament will be met “with the iron will of the Turkish Grand National Assembly resisting them, just as they did today.”
The declaration praised the Turkish nation for its unwavering belief in democracy and lauded citizens for taking to the streets and resisting the coup.
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7:25 p.m.
U.S. airline regulators are banning all flights between the U.S. and airports in Ankara and Istanbul. The ban includes flights to the U.S. by non-U.S. carriers via third countries.
Turkish Airlines issued a statement early Saturday saying operations were back to normal at the airport in Istanbul and that its flights have resumed.
The Federal Aviation Administration first issued a “notice to airmen” prohibiting flights to and from Turkey on Friday.
The U.S. embassy in Ankara issued a statement Saturday warning that U.S. government officials have been told not to use the airport in Istanbul and that U.S. citizens in the country should seek shelter. The embassy said it is still hearing reports of sporadic gunfire around the airport.
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7:15 p.m.
The Pentagon says U.S. warplanes have stopped flying missions against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq from a base in southern Turkey after the government closed its airspace to military aircraft.
The Pentagon’s press secretary, Peter Cook, said Saturday that U.S. officials are working with Turkish officials to get permission to resume air operations as soon as possible following the attempted coup.
The U.S. has been flying Air Force A-10 attack planes from Incirlik base as part of its air campaign against the Islamic State.
Cook says U.S. Central Command is adjusting flight operations in the anti-IS campaign to minimize the effect of the closure of Turkish airspace. Cook also says Incirlik lost commercial electrical power.
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7:05 p.m.
Turkish Prime Minister Benali Yildirim says 161 people have been killed as the country fought to overcome a military coup attempt.
Another Turkish official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with protocol, said that number included civilians and pro-government forces like police but excluded those behind the coup attempt.
Earlier, Gen. Unit Dundar said 104 “coup plotters” had been killed.
There has been no official update of the death toll for hours.
— Dominique Soguel.
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6:30 p.m.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says July 15 will be remembered as “a festival for democracy,” the day when those who carried out a coup against the people were hit by a coup themselves.
Speaking to parliament in their its session since the revolt Friday, Yildirim says “These are not soldiers, they are ravenous terrorist butchers in uniforms.” The prime minister warned Saturday that anyone who tried to harm the will of the people will be “reminded of those coup plotters, whose lives have been snuffed out.”
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, used his speech to call for greater democracy in Turkey, and said the coup attempt had also shown the importance of freedom of speech.
Kilicdargolu says “this event has united us on a common ground, and that common ground is our dedication to the republic and democracy. But democracy isn’t just the law of the rulers, but the rule of law.”
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6:00 p.m.
Romania’s foreign ministry says border crossings between Turkey and Bulgaria have been reopened following the failed coup attempt in Turkey.
The ministry said it had been informed by European Union border agency Frontex on Saturday about the border situation between Bulgaria and Turkey.
Earlier Saturday, the Bulgarian foreign ministry said Turkey had closed three border crossings with Bulgaria. The border crossings from Bulgarian side remained open. EU-member Bulgaria has a 260-kilometre border with Turkey.
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5:45 p.m.
One of Syria’s most powerful militant groups has praised Turkey and its democratic institutions after the government quashed an attempted military coup.
The ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham group said that by quashing the coup, Turkey confirms that it is “the hope of the Muslim nation and oppressed people throughout the world.”
The political faction of the group that is close to Turkey says the Turkish people will not be subdued anymore to “tyranny and will not be ruled by the military.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has been among the strongest backers of Syrian rebels trying to remove President Bashar Assad from power.
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5:20 p.m.
Hundreds of people waving Turkish flags have gathered outside of the parliament in Ankara to protest the coup attempt as legislators prepare to hold an emergency session.
In an unprecedented show of unity, all four parties represented in parliament are expected to issue a joint declaration Saturday condemning the attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.
The extraordinary session began with a minute of silence in honour of those who lost their lives during the coup, followed by the singing of the national anthem. Officials say 161 civilians or pro-government security forces were killed during the coup, along with an undetermined number of coup plotters.
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5:10 p.m.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she condemns the coup attempt in Turkey, saying democratic institutions must be respected.
Merkel told reporters at the chancellery in Berlin on Saturday that it was “tragic that so many people paid for this coup attempt with their lives” and urged an end to the bloodshed.
She said “Germany stands on the side of all of those in Turkey who defend democracy and the rule of law.”
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4:55 p.m.
A U.S. defence official says that the Turkish government had closed the airspace around Incirlik air base for a few hours, but it has reopened. U.S. aircraft that were on missions could return to the base but could not take off until the base reopened.
The U.S. has Air Force A-10 attack planes based there for close air support missions over Syria and Iraq. The defence official, in Kabul, was not authorized to discuss the Incirlik situation by name.
Also, electric power at Incirlik has been interrupted. The reason is not clear.
By Robert Burns, AP National Security Writer
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4:45 p.m.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States would entertain an extradition request for exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey’s president blames for a failed coup.
But Kerry adds Turkey’s government would have to present evidence of Gulen’s wrongdoing that withstands scrutiny.
While visiting Luxembourg, Kerry says Turkey hasn’t made a request to extradite the Pennsylvania-based Gulen. But he says he anticipates questions about Gulen, who has condemned the coup attempt.
Kerry says on Saturday the U.S. opposed any attempt to overthrow a democratically elected leader. He says change must come through a constitutional process.
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4:20 p.m.
Turkey’s state-run news agency says authorities have detained 10 members of Turkey’s highest administrative court as the government appeared to press ahead with a purge of judiciary officials with alleged links to a U.S.-based Muslim cleric.
The Anadolu Agency said Saturday that arrest warrants were issued for 48 administrative court members and 140 members of Turkey’s appeals court. Earlier, Anadolu said a body overseeing judges and prosecutors in Turkey has dismissed 2,745 judges across Turkey.
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4:00 p.m.
Turkey’s state-run news agency says five warships which reportedly set sail during the attempted coup have returned to their military port in northwest Turkey. The Anadolu Agency says Saturday the five frigates and one corvette arrived at the military naval installation at Golcuk on Saturday. The report said it was not clear whether Navy Fleet Commander Admiral Veysel Kosele, whose whereabouts were not known, was aboard one of the ships.
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3:45 p.m.
The Greek government says a Turkish Blackhawk helicopter will be returned to Turkey “as soon as possible” but it will examine the asylum demand made by eight military personnel who were arrested after landing Saturday.
Spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili says: “The government is in contact with the Turkish authorities for…the return of the military helicopter as soon as possible.”
As for the eight military passengers, “we will follow the procedures of international law. However, we give very serious considerations to the fact that (the Turkish military men) are accused, in their country, of violating the constitutional order and trying to overthrow democracy,” she added.
Greek police say that the eight arrested Turks include two majors, four captains and two sergeants first class. This differs from Turkish sources that said they were two majors, a captain and five privates.
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3:35 p.m.
NTV television has shown footage of a Turkish colonel and other soldiers being taken into custody at military headquarters.
The video shows them being hand-searched by special forces police, their hands behind their heads. Some are later seen kneeling on the ground, their hands still held behind their heads.
According to Hurriyet newspaper’s online edition, some of the privates who were detained told interrogators they were not aware that they were part of a coup attempt. They had been told by commanders they were taking part in military manoeuvrs. Some said they understood that it was a coup attempt when they saw civilians climb on tanks.
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3:15 p.m.
Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency says all soldiers involved in the attempted coup at the military headquarters in the capital, Ankara, have been taken into custody.
The report says anti-terrorism police will now conduct a “detailed search” at the headquarters.
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3:10 p.m.
Turkey’s state-run news agency says a top body overseeing judges and prosecutors has dismissed 2,745 judges across the country.
Anadolu Agency says the emergency meeting of the Judges and Prosecutors High Council was held Saturday, hours after Turkish forces quashed an attempted coup.
The report said the meeting was called to discuss disciplinary measures against members suspected of links to the movement led by the U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. The government says the attempted coup was carried out by a clique within the military loyal to Gulen’s movement.
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2:55 p.m.
Leaders of Turkey’s religious communities have released a joint statement condemning the attempted coup.
The statement from representatives of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities declares “our great sorrow over the terrorist attacks that disturb the peace of our great nation and of the world.”
The signatories include the president of Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs, Istanbul Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos and the Chief rabbi of Turkey’s Jewish community.
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2:45 p.m.
Italy’s foreign minister says his Turkish counterpart has defined the coup attempt in Turkey as “terroristic.”
The Italian foreign ministry says in a statement Saturday that Minister Paolo Gentiloni spoke by phone with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
The statement said the Turkish minister, who spoke from the capital, Ankara, confirmed the “failure of the attempt that he termed terroristic.”
The statement also said the Italian foreign minister expressed “satisfaction that popular mobilization and defence of the institutions prevailed” in Turkey.
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2:30 p.m.
Turkey’s Dogan news agency is reporting that two majors, a captain and five privates have requested asylum in Greece after landing in a military helicopter.
Greece’s defence ministry has said a Blackhawk helicopter carrying seven Turkish military personnel and one civilian landed in the city of Alexandroupolis earlier Saturday.
The passengers asked for asylum and were arrested for illegal entry into Greece.
The state-run Anadolu Agency has quoted Turkey’s foreign minister as demanding “the immediate return of the eight treacherous officers.”
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1:55 p.m.
NATO’s chief says all alliance personnel and military units in Turkey are “safe and secure” following the attempted coup.
Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary-general, said Saturday he had spoken to NATO’s supreme commander, U.S. Army Gen. Curtis M. Scapparrotti.
“He confirms that all NATO personnel and units in Turkey are safe and secure,” Stoltenberg said in a post on Twitter.
The alliance chief also tweeted that he welcomed “the strong support shown by the people and all political parties to democracy and to the democratically elected gov of Turkey.”
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1:35 p.m.
Gaza’s Hamas rulers have congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for quashing an attempted military coup.
The Islamic militant group condemned the attempt as a “vicious” plot to overthrow Erdogan.
The Turkish leader has been a staunch supporter of Hamas and a fierce critic of Israel. Hamas supporters took to the streets in several places across the Gaza Strip to celebrate the coup’s failure, raising Turkish flags and posters bearing Erdogan’s image.
Turkey recently restored ties with Israel after a six-year lull following a deadly Israeli naval raid to stop an activist flotilla aiming to breach the Gaza blockade.
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1:30 p.m.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says Turkey has demanded the extradition of officers who went to Greece, NTV television reports.
Greece’s defence ministry says seven military personnel and one civilian have landed there in a Blackhawk military helicopter and asked for asylum. They were arrested for illegal entry.
Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency quotes Cavusoglu as saying that “we have demanded the immediate return of the eight treacherous officers who fled to Greece by helicopter.”
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1:15 p.m.
Greece’s defence ministry says a Blackhawk military helicopter carrying seven Turkish military personnel and one civilian has landed at the airport in the city of Alexandroupolis in northeastern Greece.
The passengers have asked for asylum. They were arrested for illegal entry into Greece.
The ministry says the helicopter gave a distress signal at 10:45 a.m. local time and landed six minutes later.
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1:05 p.m.
The Turkish Cypriot leader says commanders of Turkish troops deployed in the breakaway north of ethnically divided Cyprus remain loyal to Turkey’s military command and that the coup attempt has “no effect” on the Mediterranean island.
Mustafa Akinci told Turkish Cypriot broadcaster BRT on Saturday that authorities “have taken a variety of precautionary measures to prevent provocations” in the north and that military commanders “are carrying out their duties within the chain of command.”
Akinci says problems can only be resolved through democratic means.
Turkey maintains more than 35,000 troops in the north of Cyprus since 1974, when the island was split after Turkey invaded in the wake of a coup by supporters of union with Greece.
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1 p.m.
The head of the Turkish community in Germany is condemning the coup attempt in his homeland but says the government should take it as an opportunity to open dialogue with opponents.
Gokay Sofuoglu was quoted Saturday by the Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper as saying it was significant that “all parties, even though they usually argue, unanimously rejected the coup.”
“The government would be well-advised to see this as a chance to talk with others,” Sofuoglu said. “Because the parties have not talked with one another for a long time.”
Germany is home to about 3 million Turks or people of Turkish origin, and thousands took to the streets in Berlin and elsewhere late Friday to protest the coup.
Meanwhile, countries are condemning the coup and expressing support for Turkey’s government, including Afghanistan, Albania and Kosovo.
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12:35 p.m.
Turkish Prime Minister Benali Yildirim says 161 people were killed in the country’s overnight military coup attempt. He says another more than 1,400 people were wounded in the chaos. More than 2,800 people have been detained.
He described the night as a “dark stain for Turkish democracy” and pinned blame for the coup on the “parallel terrorist organization.”
That term is used by authorities to describe the movement of U.S.-based Islamist cleric Fethullah Gulen.
“They will receive every punishment they deserve,” the prime minister said, noting the perpetrators were now in the hands of the justice system.
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12:30 p.m.
Georgia has ordered its border with Turkey closed amid the instability from a military coup attempt.
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said the country’s security council on Saturday discussed “threats that might arise to Georgia” from the situation and said both land and air borders had been closed.
The former Soviet republic shares a 252-kilometre (152-mile) border with Turkey.
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12:25 p.m.
Turkey’s Anadolu Agency reports that authorities have issued an alarm to border gates and airports upon being informed that prominent members of the Gulen Movement, including journalists, might flee the country following the overnight attempted military coup.
The report says authorities discovered the plans after lists were found detailing the commanders and their deputies to be put in charge during the period of martial law if the coup had succeeded.
Turkey’s acting chief of the general staff, Gen. Umit Dundar, said Saturday that the military is determined to purge members of the movement of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric living in exile in Pennsylvania, from the ranks.
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12:10 p.m.
Countries are lining up to condemn the overnight military coup attempt in Turkey.
Spain’s acting foreign minister, Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo, tells Spanish national television that his government completely supports the Turkish government headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He says “we condemn all coups without reservation.”
And the Gulf nation of Qatar, which has close ties to Erdogan’s government, said it supports all legal measures Turkey’s government takes to maintain security and stability.
The official Qatar News Agency reported Saturday that the ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, has spoken with Erdogan by phone to express Qatar’s support.
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11:55 a.m.
Turkey’s Anadolu Agency is reporting that soldiers who have taken over the Chief of General Staff Headquarters as part of an attempted coup have requested negotiations to surrender.
According to a Turkish official at the presidency, that is the last base the coup supporters hold.
Turkey has announced that more than 1,500 soldiers have been arrested in the coup attempt overnight.
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11:50 a.m.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is condemning the coup attempt in Turkey, calling on all parties to respect democratic order and avoid further bloodshed.
Steinmeier said in a statement Saturday that Germany is “deeply concerned” about the developments overnight.
He says he condemns “any attempts to change the democratic order in Turkey by force.”
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11:45 a.m.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says he has spoken to his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, to underline support for Turkey’s “democratic elected government and institutions” after an overnight coup attempt.
The Foreign Office is advising Britons in Turkey to “stay indoors, avoid public places, in particular demonstrations, and remain vigilant.”
It says “the situation now appears quieter in Istanbul, and the bridges across the Bosphorus are reopening. But there are reports of tank fire and small arms fire in Ankara.”
British Airways says it is cancelling all flights to and from Turkey on Saturday, but budget airline easyJet says it plans to run its scheduled flights, largely to Turkish resort towns.
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11:30 a.m.
Turkey’s acting chief of the general staff says 1,563 soldiers have been arrested in the attempted military coup overnight.
The newly appointed Gen. Umit Dundar says those who took part in the betrayal will not go unpunished.
He says those who “sided with democracy and the rule of law” thwarted the attempt.
Dundar says Turkey’s military is determined to purge members of the movement of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric who is living in exile in Pennsylvania, from the ranks.
“Our people should have no concern, that the era of coups and juntas have come to a close, never to be opened again,” Dundar says.
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11:20
Gen. Umit Dundar, the newly appointed acting chief of the general staff, said more than 190 people died in clashes: 41 police officers, two soldiers, 47 civilians and 104 people described as “coup plotters.”
Dundar said officers from the Air Force, the military police and the armoured units were mainly involved in the attempt.
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10:45 a.m.
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 defence by the people of Turkey of their democracy and elected government.”
Zarif said the events in neighbouring 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.”
Pakistan’s main political parties have also praised the people of Turkey for foiling the coup.
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10:35 a.m.
The exiled Syrian opposition has congratulated the Turkish people for halting an attempted military coup.
The Turkey-based Syrian National Coalition says in a statement that Turkey has protected its democratic institutions “in the face of dark and desperate attempts that sought to take control of the popular will.”
It says the Turkish people value democracy and “will not let a group of putschists take it away in a desperate attempt to restore military rule.”
Turkey has been one of the main backers of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad and is hosting some 2.7 million Syrian refugees.
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10:05 a.m.
Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, is seeking to contact his Turkish counterpart Saturday morning from Kabul, Afghanistan.
UNREST, PROTEST AS MILITARY STAGES COUP IN TURKEY
Unrest, protest as military stages coup in Turkey
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That’s according to Dunford’s spokesman, Navy Capt. Gregory Hicks.
Dunford is in Afghanistan to meet with U.S. and Afghan troops and commanders. He compressed his schedule Saturday in order to be available for consultations with Washington about the situation in Turkey, which has troops in Afghanistan as part of the U.S.-led coalition.
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10 a.m.
Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency has raised the number of dead in the attempted coup to some 90 with 1,154 wounded.
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9:45 a.m.
Turkey’s state-run news agency says some 200 unarmed soldiers have left Turkey’s military headquarters in the capital Ankara and have surrendered to police.
It isn’t immediately clear if those 200 are among 1,563 military personnel who have been reported detained across Turkey as the government cracks down on the attempted coup.
At least 60 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in violence.
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9:40 a.m.
A senior Turkish official says a total of 1,563 military personnel have been detained across Turkey as the government cracks down on the attempted coup.
The official says most of those arrested lower ranks.
The official was communicating with the media on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
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8:35 a.m.
Turkey’s state-run news agency says military chief of staff Gen. Hulusi Akar has been rescued in an operation launched at an air base in the outskirts of Ankara.
Anadolu Agency says the general is being taken to a safe location.
Broadcaster CNN-Turk said that Akar was taken hostage at military headquarters in Ankara and transported by helicopter to Akincilar Air Base.
CNN-Turk says Akar would now take over the command of the operation against the coup plotters.
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8:20 a.m.
Turkey’s Police Chief Celalettin Lekesiz says 16 coup plotters have been killed in clashes at Turkey’s military police command.
In comments carried by the state-run Anadolu Agency Saturday, Lekesiz says 250 others have been arrested. He says clashes at the command are continuing but “are about to come to an end.”
The report says Gen. Memduh Hakbilen, the chief of staff of Turkey’s command for the Aegean region, is among those arrested.
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7:45 a.m.
State-run Anadolu Agency is reporting 754 members of the armed forces have been detained across Turkey in the wake of the attempted coup.
Anadolu says that at the Etimesgut armoured units training command, in the outskirts of Ankara, some soldiers who took part in the coup attempt were arrested by fellow officers or soldiers and handed over to police.
Even as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the coup is being crushed and arrests made, it is not clear who is in control of military headquarters in Ankara. Erdogan has not left the Istanbul airport as dawn broke Saturday.
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7:15 a.m.
An official in the president’s office says at least 60 people have been killed in the attempted coup.
The official also says 336 people, most of them soldiers, have been arrested across Turkey. Most of the dead are civilians.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media.
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, quoted by state-run Anadolu Agency, says security forces have “achieved results in many places” and defeated coup plotters. That includes the National Intelligence Agency, police and government buildings.
He says: “There is nowhere they have they have proper control. God willing they will be defeated in the remaining areas and those in the air will be brought down.”
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7 a.m.
CNN-Turk is quoting Prime Minister Binali Yildirim as saying that commander of Turkey’s 1st Army, Gen. Umit Dundar, has been appointed acting chief of military staff.
Earlier President Erdogan said he had no information concerning Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, who was reportedly taken hostage at the military headquarters by coup plotters.
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6:50 a.m.
CNN-Turk is showing images of dozens of soldiers giving themselves up to government forces on Istanbul’s Bosporus Bridge.
They’re walking among tanks with their hands held up.
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6:45 a.m.
Turkey’s state-run news agency says a military helicopter used by coup plotters has been shot down.
The Anadolu Agency says Saturday the helicopter was brought down in the Golbasi district, in the outskirts of Ankara.
The report says the helicopter was used to attack Turkey’s satellite station Turksat.
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6:40 a.m.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has addressed thousands of flag-waving supporters outside Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport and tells them he is charge and coup won’t succeed.
Erdogan says: “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.”
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6:30 a.m.
European Council President Donald Tusk says the EU fully supports Turkey’s democratically elected government, in the wake of the attempted coup that left scores dead and wounded.
Speaking in Mongolia at the Asia-Europe summit meeting, Tusk says “Turkey is a key partner for the European Union. The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law.”
He also called for a swift return to Turkey’s constitutional order.
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6:10 a.m.
Turkish broadcaster CNN-Turk is back on air after police apparently entered the building and arrested soldiers who had taken it over. CNN-Turk showed police taking away a soldier with his hands bound behind his back with wire.
The station also showed the moment five soldiers, who appeared to be conscripts, enter the building brandishing machine guns and telling employees to vacate the building.
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5:50 a.m.
State-run Anadolu Agency says Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has called all legislators for an emergency meeting on Saturday.
Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman earlier said that a bomb hit one corner of a public relations building inside the parliament complex, injuring some police officers.
He said there were no fatalities and that all legislators were safe at a parliamentary shelter.
Troops loyal to the government are moving to crush the coup attempt, arresting some 130 anti-government forces. A helicopter was flying over the area where the parliament is located and shots were being fired.
A source at the presidency told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that 13 military officers who had earlier tried to forcibly enter the presidential palace were among those arrested.
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5:30 a.m.
NTV television is quoting the prosecutor’s office in Ankara saying at least 42 people have been killed in “attacks” in the capital.
According to Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, the number of soldiers who were arrested in the coup plot has increased to 130.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said that the coup plot will fail.
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5:10 a.m.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, says more than 120 people have been arrested in a coup plot.
He says: “Things are getting better every minute.”
Yildirim called on people to remain in the streets to support the government against coup plotters and appealed for patience.
He says a few air force planes flown by coup plotters still remain in the air. He has earlier ordered those aircraft shot down.
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5 a.m.
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 Friday evening that he and his firm “have attempted repeatedly to warn the U.S. 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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4:40 a.m.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his general secretary was abducted by coup makers and there is no information on the chief of the military staff.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, speaking on NTV, says he has ordered the “annihilitation” of military planes used by coup plotters. He says military jets have taken off from an air base in Eskisehir, east of Ankara.
According to transcripts of the president’s remarks provided by his office, Erdogan said that he arrived in Istanbul from the holiday resort of Marmaris, which was also been bombed after he left there.
He says: “Those who drive around in tanks will have to go back to where they came from. … The most important thing right now is that millions of Turkish citizens are on the streets at 4.30 a.m.”
He says coup makers “are a minority within the military.”
According to Erdogan, “Turkey has a democratically elected government and president. We are in charge and we will continue exercising our powers until the end. We will not abandon our country to these invaders. It will end well.”
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4:20 a.m.
Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman says a bomb hit one corner of a public relations building inside the parliament complex, injuring some police officers.
He says there are no fatalities and that all legislators are safe at a parliamentary shelter.
Meanwhile in Istanbul, an official at the president’s office says more than 50 military officers have been arrested in Istanbul and large crowds have carried out multiple citizen arrests.
Turkish TV channels are broadcasting scenes of soldiers being escorted away by policemen.
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4:10 a.m.
An official at Haydarpasa Numune Hospital in the Uskudar district of Istanbul tells The Associated Press they have admitted at least 150 wounded.
The official refused to comment whether there were fatalities. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media.
Earlier, NTV reported that six dead were brought to the same facility.
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4:05 a.m.
Private NTV television is showing footage of large crowds gathering at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport to greet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he emerged from a vehicle upon landing.
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4 a.m.
The state-run Anadolu Agency, citing unnamed military sources, says the leader of the attempted coup is Col. Muharrem Kose.
The agency says Kose, who headed the military’s legal advisory department, was dismissed from the position a short time ago.
The agency says other officers involved include Col. Mehmet Oguz Akkus, Maj. Erkan Agin and Lt. Col. Dogan Uysal.
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3:50 a.m.
Two large explosions have been heard near Taksim square in Istanbul, where police and military are exchanging fire.
The blasts were accompanied by the screech of fighter jets.
The area is surrounded by military but some soldiers have been taken into custody by police.
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3:40 a.m.
Turkish broadcaster CNN-Turk says a group of soldiers have entered the headquarters of the Dogan Media group, which owns the television channel.
The newscaster did not provide details on the number of soldiers who entered the building, which is also home to Kanal D television, the Dogan news agency and the Hurriyet newspaper.
The newscaster said she was not sure how much longer the station would be able to broadcast news.
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3:35 a.m.
Cyprus’ deputy government spokesman says the ethnically divided island’s conscript army is stepping up its readiness in light of the turmoil in neighboring Turkey.
Viktoras Papadopoulos told The Associated Press Saturday that the Greek Cypriot National Guard is “taking all appropriate measures” in the wake of the military uprising against Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In a separate statement, Papadopoulos said top government officials had convened a meeting at National Guard headquarters on the orders of Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades who’s on an official visit to Mongolia.
The statement said Cyprus’ Parliamentary Speaker and acting President Demetris Syllouris and Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides are monitoring developments in Turkey and are in contact with European and other governments.
Turkey maintains more than 35,000 troops in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north of Cyprus since the island was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup aiming at union with Greece.
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3:30 a.m.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman says that “democratic order” must be respected in Turkey.
Steffen Seibert wrote on Twitter early Saturday that “everything must be done to protect human lives.”
He said: “Democratic order must be respected in Turkey.”
In a second message on Twitter, Seibert wrote that Merkel is in constant contact with top officials in her government. He added: “Support for elected government.”
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3:20 a.m.
A top Turkish official says the coup attempt within the country’s military appears to have been unsuccessful.
The senior official told The Associated Press all government officials are in charge of their offices, but cautioned that the chief of military staff hasn’t appeared in public yet.
The official requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Earlier, a spokesman for Turkey’s national intelligence agency, MIT, said that the attempt to seize control had been defeated.
Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told NTV television: “The military commanders have made it clear that the coup plotters violated the chain of command… The people have shown that they stand in solidarity with democracy and the elected government.”
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3:10 a.m.
Turkish media reports have cited MIT, the national intelligence agency, as saying the coup has been defeated.
The MIT website was not immediately accessible from Turkey.
MIT spokesman Nuh Yilmaz said that Gen. Hulusi Akar, the military chief of staff, was back in control.
Yilmaz said “Gen. Akar is back on top of his duties.” He added: “everything is returning to normal”
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3:05 a.m.
The movement of the U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen has denied any involvement in the Turkish military coup attempt.
The Alliance for Shared Values says “we condemn any military intervention in (the) domestic politics of Turkey.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched a broad campaign against Gulen’s movement in Turkey and abroad. The Erdogan regime has carried out a purge of civil servants suspected of ties to the movement, seized businesses and closed some media organizations. Gulen has been charged criminally with plotting to overthrow the government, and was placed on trial in absentia in Turkey earlier this year.
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3:00 a.m.
As the crisis unfolded in Turkey, there were reports that access to popular social media sites like Twitter and Facebook had been blocked within the country. Facebook declined comment, but Twitter said it suspected “intentional” interference with its service.
The company said in a statement that “we have no reason to think we’ve been fully blocked in #Turkey, but we suspect there is an intentional slowing of our traffic in country.”
A spokesperson would not elaborate.
Separately, YouTube said in a statement: “We are aware of reports that YouTube is down in Turkey, however, our systems seem to be functioning normally.”
Access to social media has been obstructed during previous periods of political upheaval in the country, according to some Internet watchdog groups, although Turkish authorities have denied involvement and suggested that technical problems were to blame.
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2:55 a.m.
The White House says President Barrack Obama has talked on the phone with Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss the events in Turkey.
It says the two agreed that all parties in Turkey should support the democratically-elected government of Turkey, show restraint, and avoid any violence or bloodshed.
It added that Kerry underscored that the State Department will continue to focus on the safety and security of U.S. citizens in Turkey.
Kerry says the U.S. views with gravest concern events unfolding in Turkey and officials are monitoring “a very fluid situation.”
Kerry says he spoke this evening to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and emphasized the United States’ absolute support for Turkey’s democratically-elected, civilian government and democratic institutions.
He urged all parties to ensure the safety and well-being of diplomatic missions and personnel and civilians throughout Turkey.
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2:50 a.m.
The state-run Anadolu Agency says a bomb has hit the Turkish parliament in Ankara.
CNN-Turk television reported some police officers and parliament workers were hurt in the bomb attack.
A resident living not far from the area told the AP he heard a massive explosion that shook buildings and saw a column of smoke but could not confirm if it was coming from parliament itself.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, also said fighter jets were flying low in the area.
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2:35 a.m.
NATO’s chief has called for “full respect” for Turkey’s democratic institutions and constitution.
“I have just spoken to the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement issued early Saturday. “I am following events in Turkey closely and with concern.”
In an expression of support for President Tayyip Erdogan and his government, Stoltenberg said: “I call for calm and restraint, and full respect for Turkey’s democratic institutions and its constitution.”
He added: “Turkey is a valued NATO Ally.”
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2:25 a.m.
The military has taken position at the base of the Taksim monument at Taksim square in Istanbul, occasionally firing into the air to disperse a growing crowd of government supporters.
Military helicopters are flying overhead and many police are in position, separate from the military.
Meanwhile, a nearby mosque just made an anti-coup announcement.
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2:15 a.m.
The leaders of Greece’s armed forces and police are holding emergency meetings in Athens to monitor developments in neighboring Turkey, according to government officials.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity early Saturday because they weren’t authorized to speak to the media, described the country’s armed forces as being placed in a state of “heightened readiness” and not alert.
Despite markedly improved trade and relations between Greece and Turkey in recent years, the two countries have ongoing airspace and sea boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea. They also collaborate in implementing an agreement with the European Union — monitored by NATO — to limit the number of refugees and migrants traveling to Europe.
State-run ERT television reported that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had been briefed by intelligence and military leaders on the coup attempt in Turkey, including unusual movements by Turkish armed forces before the attempt became apparent.
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2:05 a.m.
Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency says that 17 police officers have been killed in a helicopter attack on police special forces headquarters on the outskirts of Ankara.
Loud explosions were heard earlier in Turkey’s capital after the military said it seized full control of the country.
But government officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tried to play down reports that the military was in control. Erdogan called for citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government, and said the coup attempt would be unsuccessful.
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2 a.m.
State-run Anadolu Agency says Turkish Air Force planes are flying above Ankara to strike at helicopters that are being used by those attempting the coup.
Private NTV television reported that F-16 jets have brought down a Sikorsky helicopter, but didn’t provide any details.
NTV also showed what it said were images from a police station in Istanbul, showing military officers allegedly detained by police.
Meanwhile, the commander of Turkey’s military special forces, Gen. Zekai Aksakalli, said “those who are attempting a coup will not succeed.”
He told NTV television by telephone: “Our people should know that we will overcome this… We are in control of the situation.”
He said some deaths and injuries were reported during the coup attempt, without providing any details.
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1:50 a.m.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief called for “restraint and respect for democratic institutions” in Turkey after the military said that it seized control of the country.
Federica Mogherini also tweeted while on a trip to Mongolia that she was “in constant contact” with EU offices in Istanbul and Ankara. Explosions have been heard in the capital, with gunfire also erupting in both cities.
Government officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tried to play down reports that the military was in control. Erdogan called for citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government, and said the coup attempt would be unsuccessful.
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1:40 a.m.
Turkish news agency Dogan has reported that soldiers have opened fired on people trying to cross Istanbul’s Bosporus bridge in protest of the attempted coup, and some have been wounded.
TV footage showed people running for cover as shots rang out. Earlier, a statement attributed to the military said that Turkish armed forces have “fully seized control” of the country.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan then called on citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government.
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1:35 a.m.
Turkey’s Istanbul-based first army commander says the soldiers involved in an attempted coup “represent a small group” and “there is no cause for concern,” according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
An earlier statement attributed to the military said that Turkish armed forces have “fully seized control” of the country.
But First Army Commander Umit Dundar told Anadolu that “we are working to solve the problem here. They represent a small group within the First Army Command. There is no cause for concern. We are taking the necessary precautions with (soldiers) who have not joined them and remain within the military chain of command.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government.
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1:30 a.m.
Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala says very effective units from the chief of general staff’s office, the Turkish armed forces and the police are responding to the attempted coup in the country.
Ala says they are responding to “gangs who have taken cover in certain locations.”
He spoke by telephone to NTV television and also encouraged Turkish citizens to “fearlessly go out and support our security forces.”
He says: “We think it would be right for them to go out to the airports, to the streets, especially to the main arteries. As long as they do that this gang’s attempts… they will be defeated no matter what.”
He added “this is a gang that considers nothing sacred, not the people or the nation. They’re taking certain actions.”
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1:15 a.m.
NATO hasn’t responded immediately to a request for comment on how alliance operations or Turkey’s status might be affected after the military said it seized control of the country.
Independent observers noted that the 1949 treaty that created the U.S. alliance has no mechanism for suspending members, unlike the United Nations, the European Union or the Organization of American States.
Nothing in NATO’s founding 1949 Washington Treaty says anything about intervening in the internal or political affairs of an alliance member, and Turkey kept its NATO membership following past military coups.
The treaty’s key clause, Article 5, stipulates that NATO member states agree that “an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all,” but that language has taken to apply to an external enemy.
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1:10 a.m.
Loud explosions have been heard in Turkey’s capital Ankara and CNN-Turk reports an explosion occurred at the state-run television building.
Turkey’s state-run news agency report military helicopters have also attacked the headquarters of TURKSAT satellite station on the outskirts of Ankara and the Ankara Police headquarters.
Dozen of tanks were seen moving toward a palace that is now used by the prime minister and deputy prime ministers. A civilian car tried to stop one of the tanks, but it rammed through the vehicle as those in the car escaped.
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12:50 a.m.
Turkey’s president has urged citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government after the military said it seized full control of the country.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking to CNN-Turk through FaceTime, called the actions by the military “an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces.”
The president’s office refused to disclose Erdogan’s whereabouts, saying he was at a secure location. Erdogan said “I don’t believe this coup attempt will be successful.”
Erdogan added: “There is absolutely no chain of command here. Right now the chain of command has been put on hold.”
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12:35 a.m.
The White House says President Barack Obama has been briefed on developments in key NATO ally Turkey where the military claims to have seized power in a coup.
The National Security Council said Obama had been apprised of Friday “unfolding situation” in Turkey and would continue to get regular updates.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he hopes for stability and continuity in Turkey following the reports.
Kerry, in Moscow for talks with Russian officials on Syria on Friday, told reporters he didn’t have details of the situation rapidly unfolding on the ground in Turkey and said it would be “inappropriate” to comment on developments. But, he expressed hope that the key ally and strategically important member of the coalition fighting the Islamic State would remain at peace.
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12:25 a.m.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other Russian officials have called on their countrymen in Turkey to stay indoors amid uncertainty about whether a military coup is taking place.
Lavrov made the statement early Saturday at a news conference with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. However, Lavrov, who had been in lengthy talks with Kerry, said he had little information about what was taking place in Turkey.
Russia’s tourism authority issued a similar warning. Turkey had long been a popular vacation destination for Russians, but the numbers dropped sharply last year when Russia banned package tours to Turkey amid tensions over Turkey shooting down a Russian warplane and it was unclear how many Russians currently are in the country.
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12:20 a.m.
A Turkish military statement read on state TRT television says the military has seized power, citing rising autocratic rule and increased terrorism.
But CNN-Turk has quoted Defense Minister Fikri Isik as describing it as a “pirate statement.”
Earlier, another statement published by the private Dogan news agency says that the military has “fully seized control” of the country.
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11:45 p.m.
A Turkish news agency has published a statement from the military saying the armed forces have “fully seized control” of the country.
The Dogan agency reported that the statement said that the military did this “to 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.”
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11:10 p.m.
Turkey’s prime minister says a group within Turkey’s military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup.
Binali Yildirim told NTV television: “it is correct that there was an attempt.”
Yildirim didn’t 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 the Turkey’s military headquarters.
[Source:- CT news ]
