Turkey’s Military Coup: Army Takes Control of Power
Local Editor
A group within the Turkish military was engaged in a military coup on Friday evening, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced, after reports of unusual military movements in Ankara and Istanbul.
"We are working on the possibility of an attempt. We will not allow this attempt," Yildirim told NTV television by telephone.
"Those who are in this illegal act will pay the highest price," he added, saying it would not be correct to describe the move as a "coup."
He also said that Turkey would never allow any "initiative that would interrupt democracy."
However, Turkey's military says in a statement that the military has taken over, according to Reuters.
State-run Anadolu news agency reported that the Turkish military chief of staff, Hulusi Akar, was among those taken hostage by the pro-coup forces in Ankara. The hostages are being held at military HQ in the capital.
Access to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube is being blocked, while the state-owned TRT television has gone off the air, according to reports from inside Turkey.Reports and correspondents said security forces partially shut down the two bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul as military jets were heard flying low over Ankara.
The Bosphorus and Fatih bridges were closed by the gendarmerie -- a branch of the Turkish military dedicated to internal security -- for traffic traveling from Asia to Europe, NTV television said. Traffic was still moving in the other direction.
Meanwhile, Turkish military aircraft were heard flying low over Ankara, AFP correspondents in the
capital reported.
Earlier in the day, reports said gunfire had been heard in the Turkish capital.
Media reports also said that a military helicopter had opened fire at an intelligence building in Ankara.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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