The military in Turkey declared late Friday, July 15, 2016 that it had taken over the country, triggering confusion and terror across the nation.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim of Turkey, meanwhile, announced that an attempted military uprising was ongoing during a broadcast on NTV television. Turkey would never allow any “initiative that would interrupt democracy,” he vowed.
“Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command,” Yildirim said. “The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.”
Military jets and helicopters buzzed over the cities of Istanbul and Ankara, sending car alarms wailing, as forces closed Istanbul’s two main bridges across the Bosphorus strait. Tanks pulled into the entrance of Istanbul’s Ataturk airport ― the largest in the country ― according to Turkish television news reports. A Reuters witness described hearing gunshots in Ankara.
A Turkish presidential source called the development an “attack against Turkish democracy.”
“We urge the world to stand in solidarity with the Turkish people,” the source said. “Those who perpetrated this attack against Turkish democracy will be swiftly brought to justice.”
Turkish soldiers block both bridges on the Bosphorus in Istanbul and jets flying low in Ankara. Reason not clear yet pic.twitter.com/tMG7KKYvGh
— Selin Girit (@selingirit) July 15, 2016
Access to Twitter and Facebook appeared to have been slowed and blocked, even with a virtual private network, in some parts of the country. The Turkish government frequently throttles the Internet after major events like terrorist attacks.
An employee of Turkish state-owned media outlet TRT World in Istanbul told The WorldPost that their office was forcibly cleared by armed men on Friday and that the staff’s phones were taken.
@radyotrafik asker kopru yolunu kapatmış!!!! pic.twitter.com/zx9P9LDOf8
— Efsun🇹🇷 (@eefsun) July 15, 2016
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
