From all reports this looks like a done deal at this point. The interesting aspect of this, prophetically - is the idea that Turkey will be a big part of the Gog-Magog invasion of Israel. In the past months the relationship between Turkey and Russia has soured as Turkey has been covertly supporting ISIS in Syria as Russia has tried to dissolve ISIS. It was hard to imagine Turkey and Russia combining forces (with Iran and northern Africa) in a combined battle.
We will be watching these developments closely - it may be a safe bet that the next leadership will be fully supportive of Russia.
The Turkish military on Friday said that it had assumed power over Turkey, in what the prime minister has termed an illegal act.
“The power in the country has been seized in its entirety,” said a military statement read on NTV television, without giving further details. The military’s website was not immediately accessible.
The military declared martial law and curfew on Friday night, TRT state television reported.
A Turkish news agency on Friday night also published a statement from the military saying the armed forces have “fully seized control” of the country.
The Dogan agency reported that the statement said that the military did this “to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated.”
The military statement went on to say that “all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue.”
The army’s announcement came shortly after Turkey’s prime minister said a group within the military was engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup, but said it would fail.
“It is correct that there was an attempt,” Binali Yildirim told NTV, but did not provide details. He said that Turkey would never allow any “initiative that would interrupt democracy.”
“We are working on the possibility of an attempt. We will not allow this attempt,” he told the television by telephone, without expanding on the nature of the move, but saying it was by a group in the Turkish military.
“There are certain groups who took the arms trusted to them by the state and pointed them toward state employees,” Yildirim said. “We shall determine soon who they are. Our security forces have acted against these groups.”
There has been no comment from Erdogan so far. But presidential sources said: “This is an attack against Turkish democracy. A group within the Armed Forces has made an attempt to overthrow the democratically elected government outside the chain of command.
Media reports said ambulances were seen in front of the Turkey’s military headquarters. Television pictures showed tanks deployed outside Ataturk airport in Istanbul. Reports said that flights into the airport had been halted.
Turkey’s top general was taken hostage at the military headquarters in the capital Ankara after the attempt to bring down the government, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
“General Hulusi Akar has been taken hostage by a group in the military who attempted an uprising,” the agency said citing “credible sources.”
US Secretary of State John Kerry said he hoped for “peace and continuity” in Turkey. US President Barack Obama had been briefed on the situation, the White House said.
Turkey's armed forces said it "fully seized control" of the country Friday and its president responded by calling on Turks to take to the streets in a show of support for the government.
A loud explosion was heard in the capital, Ankara, fighter jets buzzed overhead, gunfire erupted outside military headquarters and vehicles blocked two major bridges in Istanbul.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an interview over FaceTime with the CNN Turk, dismissed the action as "an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces." His office declined to disclose his whereabouts saying only that he was in a secure location.
"I'm making a call out to my people. I'm inviting them out to all our public squares. I'm inviting them out to our airports. Let us gather in our squares, at our airports as the people and let that minority group come upon as with their tanks and artillery and do whatever they wish to do," Erdogan said.
Soldiers blocked entry to Ataturk Airport where four tanks were stationed, according to the private Dogan news agency. Two other tanks and a military vehicle were stationed in front of the VIP terminal. The report said the soldiers had entered the tower and stopped all flights.
The military said it seized control "to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated."
The military statement went on to say that "all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue."
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that a group within the military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup.
Military jets were heard flying over Ankara and Istanbul. Gunfire was heard outside Turkey's military headquarters in Ankara, while media reports said ambulances were seen out front.
"There are certain groups who took the arms trusted to them by the state and pointed them toward state employees," Yildirim said. "We shall determine soon who they are. Our security forces have acted against these groups."
The Dogan news agency says one-way traffic on the Bosporus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges were blocked. Video footage showed the bridge being blocked by military vehicles.
Report: Military Coup Under Way in Turkey [Updated Frequently] - Breitbart
From LiveLeak comes footage of that military helicopter firing on a ground target, reportedly the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service:
Update, 5:50 PM EST
After reports of heavy gunfire near the presidential palace, AFP is reporting that a “strong explosion” has been heard in Ankara. The U.S. Embassy in Turkey confirmed the gunfire in Anakra. Eyewitnesses report some of the gunfire came from military helicopters.
Erdogan’s address to the nation, which used Apple’s FaceTime as well as Skype, was a rather bizarre spectacle:
Update, 5:45 PM EST
The coup appears to have a name, the “Turkish Peace Council.” Turkey’s Justice Minister has claimed the coup is led by followers of Erdogan’s nemesis, U.S.-based imam Fethullah Gulen.
Update, 5:30 PM EST
The coup is acting like they have this whole thing just about wrapped up, while the Erdogan government behaves as if it remains in power. European Union observers are reporting that military forces have taken control of airports and strategic points across Istanbul.
The UK Guardian reports chaos in the streets of Istanbul, with “people running in all directions,” while “restaurants and shops are closing,” and “cars are honking their horns and driving on the wrong side of the road.”
The Telegraph reports that President Erdogan has given a statement, in which he described the coup as “an uprising attempt by a minority within the military,” and spoke of a “parallel structure” within the Turkish government.
Erdogan reportedly attempted to fly back to Turkey, but was refused landing clearance in Istanbul, and is now seeking asylum in Germany.
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