Military ‘seizes power’ in Turkey; top general ‘taken hostage’

Turkey’s military has said it has seized power, but the prime minister said the attempted coup would be put down.



In Ankara, warplanes and helicopters roared overhead. There were also reports of gunshots.

An EU source monitoring events said the military coup attempt under way looked substantial and was “not just a few colonels”.

They said the military has control of airports and strategic points in Istanbul.

Turkish state broadcaster TRT said airports are closed and a curfew declared across the country.

An announcer on TRT said a new constitution would to be prepared as soon as possible.

A Turkish official, who did not want to be named, said soldiers had been deployed in other cities in Turkey, but did not specify which ones.


Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is safe, a presidential source said, adding that a statement made on behalf of the armed forces announcing a takeover of the government was not authorised by the military command.

The source also urged the world to “stand in solidarity” with the Turkish people.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the elected government remained in office.





Turkey, a NATO member with the second biggest military in the Western alliance, is one of the most important allies of the United States in the fight against the so-called Islamic State.

It is a principal backer of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country’s civil war, and host to 2m Syrian refugees.

Mr Yildirim said a group within Turkey’s military had attempted to overthrow the government and security forces have been calledin to “do what is necessary”.

“Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command,” Mr Yildirim said in comments broadcast by private channel NTV.




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