The military in Turkey on Friday deployed troops and tanks to the streets of Istanbul and capital city, Ankara, claiming a takeover of government even as armed soldiers stormed government buildings and jets roared over the country’s airspace as Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said a group within the military had attempted to overthrow the government.
A national curfew was announced, and other security forces had been called in to “do what is necessary,” Yildirim said. “Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command,” Yildirim said in comments broadcast by private channel NTV and reported by Reuters.
“The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.”
Istanbul’s Bosphorus bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridge were both closed by military forces on Friday, local television channels reported, without giving a reason. Istanbul is 320 miles away from Ankara.
The Turkish military, however, claimed in a statement that it had taken over the country in order for democratic order and human rights to remain. In the statement, the military said that all existing foreign relations would continue and that rule of law would be a priority.
A Turkish presidential source said in a statement, according to Reuters, that the statement made on behalf of the armed forces was not authorized by military command.
Footage from NTV showed tanks at the entrance to Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, and all flights from the airport were reportedly cancelled. Many social media platforms were blocked in Turkey during Friday’s events, according to internet monitoring groups.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday vowed that “coup plotters” would not succeed, calling on people to take to streets in his support after a military group announced a power grab.
“I certainly believe that coup plotters will not succeed,” Erdogan told CNN Turk television, speaking on FaceTime via mobile phone in his first reaction to the move by the Turkish armed forces.
“I urge the Turkish people to convene at public squares and airports. I never believed in a power higher than the power of the people.”
Erdogan said he was still president and Turkey’s commander in chief, promising that plotters would pay a “very heavy price.” A presidential source said Erdogan was in a secure location as per government protocol.
United States President, Barack Obama has condemned the attempted coup in Turkey. He says America would support the democratically elected government in Turkey.
A White House statement issued from the Office of the Press Secretary, said Obama had spoken with John Kerry, Secretary of State, to discuss the events in Turkey and unanimously voted for democracy to remain in the country.
The statement obtained from the White House twitter handle: @WhiteHouse reads:
“The President spoke tonight with Secretary of State, John Kerry to discuss the events in Turkey. The President and Secretary agreed that all parties in Turkey should support the democratically-elected government of Turkey, show restraint, and avoid any violence or bloodshed.
“The secretary underscored that the State Department will continue to focus on the safety and security of US citizens in Turkey. The President asked the Secretary to continue to keep him updated as the situation unfolds.”
Reacting to the coup in Turkey, former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Prof George Obiozor, advised that leaders must be careful on how to use power, be it in Africa, Europe etc.
According to him, power is delicate, and one must make sure that he doesn’t abuse it. If there is any abuse of power, challenge to such power must come.
The diplomat noted that Turkey is one of the most dynamic countries in the world. They taught the world the history of modernization. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a military man built the modern Turkey. He gave turkey the best democracy and modernisation. He was a military man who built a modern nation.
