After a night of explosions, gunfire and tanks rolling along the streets, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Turkey Saturday that an attempted military coup was over and the government was in charge. By the time of filing this report fierce fighting was still going on with over 1800 soldiers said to have been arrested.
However, the sounds of fighting were still being reported in Ankara and Istanbul after the chaotic attempt by members of the military to wrest control from Erdogan.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim took to the podium a few moments ago in Ankara to provide further details following last night’s uprising.
During his statement, he praised the citizens of Turkey for going on to the streets and risking their lives for democracy, calling their actions heroic.
“Thanks to these citizens, everyone should understand that no one will be able to make a mess of the people’s will. They will never be able to come over the willingness and power of our people.”
He called on citizens to fill town and city squares with flags tonight.
Yildirim said 161 people were killed, while another 1,440 wounded. Of those who took part in the uprising, he said that they came from various levels of the army, with some of them “high-ranking officers.”
“My dear brothers, sister, these parallel gang members are now in the hands of the esteemed Turkish justice and they will be punished in every way they deserve through this process,” said Yildirim.
“Our nation in this incident has shown a great resilience,” he added.
“Those who have done this uprising should understand this reality that no one can play games with the stability of this country and the love of freedom and democracy.”
He said the situation is under control, with all commanders back to their duties.
Yildirim told reporters that parliament would meet at 3 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) to discuss the uprising.
President Erdogan, when speaking to his supporters, appeared to blame the coup attempt on Fethullah Gulen, a high-profile political figure and religious scholar based in the U.S. He lives in a gated compound in a small, leafy town in Pennsylvania. Here’s a profile from 2014.
