German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday urged Turkey to restrict the state of emergency imposed after a failed coup attempt to only the truly necessary length of time and to end the measure as quickly as possible. 
 
Steinmeier issued a statement late on Wednesday in response to the declaration of emergency rule, urging the Turkish government to maintain both the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in its response to the coup attempt. 
 
&quot;The declaration of a state of emergency makes it clear once again: the attempted putsch is having a profound effect on Turkish politics and society,&quot; Steinmeier said. 
 
He said Germany was continuing to call on Turkey to exercise restraint in its response to the thwarted coup. 
 
&quot;Only provable involvement in illegal acts, not suspected political leanings, should trigger governmental action,&quot; Steinmeier said. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s also critical that the declaration of emergency be restricted to only the necessary duration and then be ended as quickly as possible,&quot; he said. 
 
Steinmeier said such an approach was in the interest of Turkey itself, since anything else would tear the country apart and weaken Turkey both internally and externally. 
 
(Reuters)

The German foreign minister urged the Turkish government to maintain the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in response to the coup

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday urged Turkey to restrict the state of emergency imposed after a failed coup attempt to only the truly necessary length of time and to end the measure as quickly as possible. Steinmeier issued a statement late on Wednesday in response to the declaration of emergency rule, urging the Turkish government to maintain both the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in its response to the coup attempt. "The declaration of a state of emergency makes it clear once again: the attempted putsch is having a profound effect on Turkish politics and society," Steinmeier said. He said Germany was continuing to call on Turkey to exercise restraint in its response to the thwarted coup. "Only provable involvement in illegal acts, not suspected political leanings, should trigger governmental action," Steinmeier said. "It's also critical that the declaration of emergency be restricted to only the necessary duration and then be ended as quickly as possible," he said. Steinmeier said such an approach was in the interest of Turkey itself, since anything else would tear the country apart and weaken Turkey both internally and externally. (Reuters)

Germany urges swift end to emergency in Turkey

A Greek court on Thursday sentenced eight Turkish military officers who fled last week&#39;s failed coup to suspended two-month prison terms.&nbsp; 
 
The officers, sought by Turkey to face a military trial at home, have requested asylum in Greece and will remain in police custody until their cases on that issue are heard early in August.&nbsp; 
 
The prison sentence for illegal entry was suspended for a three-year period, the court in the northern city of Alexandroupoli said, taking into account that the men felt threatened.&nbsp; 
 
In his defence, one of the Turkish officers told the court through a translator that he did not want to return home owing to &quot;indiscriminate&quot; arrests by Ankara authorities. &quot;We saw indiscriminate arrests of military personnel and we were afraid,&quot; the suspect said. Another said: 
 
&quot;Im proud to be an army man. I would not have left Turkey had my life not been in danger.&quot; 
 
The case threatens to strain ties between the two NATO allies, with Ankara labelling the eight &quot;terrorists&quot;. 
 
Turkey&#39;s ambassador Kerim Uras has warned that failure to return the officers &quot;will not help&quot; ties. &quot;I hope we will manage to swiftly go through the phases of due process and manage to return these terrorist elements so that they will face justice,&quot; Uras told reporters in Athens on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;We thought of going to Bulgaria, Romania or Greece -- finally we chose Greece,&quot; said the officer who opened Thursdays trial, held under tight security. 
 
The officers flew to Alexandroupoli by military helicopter on Saturday and were allowed to land after sending a distress signal to authorities. 
 
A Turkish detachment arrived after them and returned the Black Hawk helicopter to Turkey. 
 
Greek military units have been placed on &quot;heightened vigilance&quot; amid reports that additional Turkish military personnel could be trying to flee to the Greek islands. 
 
The eight men, who declined to give their ranks and units in court, arrived in handcuffs with their faces hidden. 
 
They claim that they were in the process of airlifting wounded men during the clashes that broke out during the attempted coup on Friday, but came under fire by police. 
 
&quot;We had to land in a field near Istanbul and wait, before deciding to flee,&quot; the first suspect said. 
 
According to one of their lawyers, Ilia Marinaki, the soldiers -- identified on arrival as two commanders, four captains and two sergeants -- fear for their safety and that of their families after the abortive bid to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 
 
Turkish authorities insist they would receive fair treatment at home, despite indications that some suspects have been subjected to rough treatment as Erdogan launches a huge crackdown on suspected coup plotters. 
 
Historic foes, Greece and Turkey both became members of NATO in 1952. Ties have improved dramatically in recent years although there are irritants such as airspace and maritime border disputes. 
 
Greece last year also faulted Turkey for allowing thousands of mainly Syrian refugees and migrants to sail to its shores, before an EU deal stemming the flow came into force in March. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The officers flew to Alexandroupoli by military helicopter and were allowed to land after sending a distress signal to Greek authorities

A Greek court on Thursday sentenced eight Turkish military officers who fled last week's failed coup to suspended two-month prison terms. The officers, sought by Turkey to face a military trial at home, have requested asylum in Greece and will remain in police custody until their cases on that issue are heard early in August. The prison sentence for illegal entry was suspended for a three-year period, the court in the northern city of Alexandroupoli said, taking into account that the men felt threatened. In his defence, one of the Turkish officers told the court through a translator that he did not want to return home owing to "indiscriminate" arrests by Ankara authorities. "We saw indiscriminate arrests of military personnel and we were afraid," the suspect said. Another said: "Im proud to be an army man. I would not have left Turkey had my life not been in danger." The case threatens to strain ties between the two NATO allies, with Ankara labelling the eight "terrorists". Turkey's ambassador Kerim Uras has warned that failure to return the officers "will not help" ties. "I hope we will manage to swiftly go through the phases of due process and manage to return these terrorist elements so that they will face justice," Uras told reporters in Athens on Tuesday. "We thought of going to Bulgaria, Romania or Greece -- finally we chose Greece," said the officer who opened Thursdays trial, held under tight security. The officers flew to Alexandroupoli by military helicopter on Saturday and were allowed to land after sending a distress signal to authorities. A Turkish detachment arrived after them and returned the Black Hawk helicopter to Turkey. Greek military units have been placed on "heightened vigilance" amid reports that additional Turkish military personnel could be trying to flee to the Greek islands. The eight men, who declined to give their ranks and units in court, arrived in handcuffs with their faces hidden. They claim that they were in the process of airlifting wounded men during the clashes that broke out during the attempted coup on Friday, but came under fire by police. "We had to land in a field near Istanbul and wait, before deciding to flee," the first suspect said. According to one of their lawyers, Ilia Marinaki, the soldiers -- identified on arrival as two commanders, four captains and two sergeants -- fear for their safety and that of their families after the abortive bid to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkish authorities insist they would receive fair treatment at home, despite indications that some suspects have been subjected to rough treatment as Erdogan launches a huge crackdown on suspected coup plotters. Historic foes, Greece and Turkey both became members of NATO in 1952. Ties have improved dramatically in recent years although there are irritants such as airspace and maritime border disputes. Greece last year also faulted Turkey for allowing thousands of mainly Syrian refugees and migrants to sail to its shores, before an EU deal stemming the flow came into force in March. (AFP)

Greek court sentences eight Turkish military officers

Turkey vowed to root out allies of the US-based cleric it blames for an abortive coup last week, widening a purge of the army, police and judiciary on Tuesday to universities and schools, the intelligence agency and religious authorities. 
 
Around 50,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended or detained since the coup attempt, stirring tensions across the country of 80 million which borders Syria&#39;s chaos, and is a Western ally against Islamic State. 
 
&quot;This parallel terrorist organisation will no longer be an effective pawn for any country,&quot; Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, referring to what the government has long alleged is a state within a state controlled by followers of Fethullah Gulen. 
 
&quot;We will dig them up by their roots,&quot; he told Parliament. 
 
A spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan said the government was preparing a formal request to the United States for the extradition of Gulen, who Turkey says orchestrated the failed military takeover on Friday in which at least 232 people were killed. 
 
US President Barack Obama discussed the status of Gulen in a telephone call with Erdogan on Tuesday, the White House said, urging Ankara to show restraint as it pursues those responsible for the coup attempt. 
 
In parallel talks, US defence secretary Ash Carter and his Turkish counterpart discussed the importance of Turkey&#39;s Incirlik Air Base in the campaign against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, the Pentagon said.&nbsp;The base, which is used by Turkish and US forces in the air campaign against Islamic State, has been without power in the days since the failed coup. 
 
Seventy-five-year-old Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania but has a network of supporters within Turkey, has condemned the abortive coup and denied any role in it. 
 
A former ally-turned critic of Erdogan, he suggested the president staged it as an excuse for a crackdown after a steady accumulation of control during 14 years in power. 
 
On Tuesday, authorities shut down media outlets deemed to be supportive of the cleric and said 15,000 people had been suspended from the education ministry along with 100 intelligence officials. A further 492 people were removed from duty at the Religious Affairs Directorate, 257 at the prime minister&#39;s office and 300 at the energy ministry. 
 
The Lira weakened to beyond 3 to the Dollar after state broadcaster TRT said all university deans had been ordered to resign, recalling the sorts of broad purges seen in the wake of successful military coups of the past. 
 
In a sign of international concern, a German official said a serious fissure had opened in Turkey, and he feared fighting would break out within Germany&#39;s large Turkish community. 
 
&quot;A deep split is emerging in Turkish society,&quot; Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper. &quot;The danger of an escalation in violence between Erdogan supporters and opponents has also risen in Germany.&quot; 
 
Double standards 
 
Turkey&#39;s Western allies have expressed solidarity with the government over the coup attempt, but also alarm at the scale and swiftness of the response, urging it to adhere to democratic values. 
 
Prime Minister Yildirim accused Washington, which has said it will consider Gulen&#39;s extradition only if clear evidence is provided, of double standards in its fight against terrorism. 
 
Yildirim said the justice ministry had sent a dossier to US authorities on Gulen, whose religious movement blends conservative Islamic values with a pro-Western outlook and who has a network of supporters within Turkey. 
 
&quot;We have more than enough evidence, more than you could ask for, on Gulen,&quot; justice minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters outside Parliament. &quot;There is no need to prove the coup attempt, all evidence shows that the coup attempt was organised on his will and orders.&quot; 
 
White House spokesman Josh Earnest confirmed Ankara had filed materials in electronic form with the US government, which officials were reviewing. Any extradition request from Turkey, once submitted, would be evaluated under the terms of a treaty between the two countries, he added. 
 
This treaty excludes offences &quot;of a political character&quot; although it does cover those &quot;committed or attempted against a head of state or a head of government&quot;. 
 
Any extradition request would face legal and political hurdles in the United States. Even if approved by a judge, it would still have to go to secretary of state John Kerry, who can consider non-legal factors, such as humanitarian arguments. 
 
&quot;I urge the US government to reject any effort to abuse the extradition process to carry out political vendettas,&quot; Gulen said on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Alliance for Shared Values, a group associated with the cleric. 
 
Turkey&#39;s deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus told reporters that 9,322 people were under legal proceedings in relation to the attempted coup.&nbsp;Eight soldiers have sought asylum in neighbouring Greece, and Turkey says they must be handed back or it will not help relations between the neighbours, which have long been uneasy. 
 
Around 1,400 people were wounded as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and warplanes, strafing Parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul. 
 
The army general staff said it would punish &quot;in the most severe way&quot; any members of the armed forces responsible for what it called &quot;this disgrace&quot;, adding that most had nothing to do with the coup. 
 
Death penalty centre stage 
 
Some Western leaders expressed concern that Erdogan, who said he was almost killed or captured by the mutineers, was using the opportunity to consolidate power and further a process of stifling dissent. 
 
UN high commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein, voiced &quot;serious alarm&quot; on Tuesday at the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors and urged Turkey to allow independent monitors to visit those who have been detained. 
 
The foreign ministry has said criticism of the government&#39;s response amounts to backing the coup.&nbsp;Turkey scrapped capital punishment in 2004 as part of its push to join the European Union, and European leaders have warned Ankara that restoring it would derail its EU aspirations.&nbsp;But in the aftermath of the coup, Erdogan has repeatedly called for Parliament to consider his supporters&#39; demands to apply the death penalty for the plotters. 
 
Yildirim said Turkey would respect the rule of law and not be driven by revenge in prosecuting suspected coup plotters. Speaking alongside the leader of the main secularist opposition Republican People&#39;s Party (CHP), he said the country must avoid the risk that some people try to exploit the current situation. 
 
&quot;We need unity...and brotherhood now,&quot; he said. 
 
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a right-wing grouping and the smallest of the three opposition parties represented in parliament, said it would back the government if it decides to restore the death penalty. 
 
More than 6,000 soldiers and around 1,500 others have been detained since the abortive coup. About 8,000 police officers, including in the capital Ankara and the biggest city Istanbul, have been removed on suspicion of links to the plot. 
 
Some 1,500 finance ministry officials have also been removed from their posts. Annual leave has been suspended for more than three million civil servants, while close to 3,000 judges and prosecutors have also been purged. A court remanded 26 generals and admirals in custody on Monday, Turkish media said. 
 
Former air force chief accused 
 
Officials in Ankara say former air force chief Akin Ozturk, who has appeared in detention with his face and arms bruised and one ear bandaged, was a co-leader of the coup. Turkish media said on Monday he had denied this to prosecutors, saying he had tried to prevent the attempted putsch. 
 
The coup crumbled after Erdogan, on holiday with his family at the coastal resort of Marmaris, phoned in to a television news programme and called for his followers to take to the streets. He was able to fly into Istanbul in the early hours of Saturday, after the rebel pilots had his plane in their sights but did not shoot it down. 
 
He said on Monday he might have died if he had left Marmaris any later and that two of his bodyguards had been killed. 
 
The bloodshed shocked the nation, where the army last used force to stage a successful coup more than 30 years ago, and shattered fragile confidence in the stability of a NATO member state already rocked by Islamic State suicide bombings and an insurgency by Kurdish militants. 
 
(Reuters)

Turkey's Western allies have expressed solidarity over the coup attempt, but also alarm at the scale and swiftness of Erdogan's response

Turkey vowed to root out allies of the US-based cleric it blames for an abortive coup last week, widening a purge of the army, police and judiciary on Tuesday to universities and schools, the intelligence agency and religious authorities. Around 50,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended or detained since the coup attempt, stirring tensions across the country of 80 million which borders Syria's chaos, and is a Western ally against Islamic State. "This parallel terrorist organisation will no longer be an effective pawn for any country," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, referring to what the government has long alleged is a state within a state controlled by followers of Fethullah Gulen. "We will dig them up by their roots," he told Parliament. A spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan said the government was preparing a formal request to the United States for the extradition of Gulen, who Turkey says orchestrated the failed military takeover on Friday in which at least 232 people were killed. US President Barack Obama discussed the status of Gulen in a telephone call with Erdogan on Tuesday, the White House said, urging Ankara to show restraint as it pursues those responsible for the coup attempt. In parallel talks, US defence secretary Ash Carter and his Turkish counterpart discussed the importance of Turkey's Incirlik Air Base in the campaign against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, the Pentagon said. The base, which is used by Turkish and US forces in the air campaign against Islamic State, has been without power in the days since the failed coup. Seventy-five-year-old Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania but has a network of supporters within Turkey, has condemned the abortive coup and denied any role in it. A former ally-turned critic of Erdogan, he suggested the president staged it as an excuse for a crackdown after a steady accumulation of control during 14 years in power. On Tuesday, authorities shut down media outlets deemed to be supportive of the cleric and said 15,000 people had been suspended from the education ministry along with 100 intelligence officials. A further 492 people were removed from duty at the Religious Affairs Directorate, 257 at the prime minister's office and 300 at the energy ministry. The Lira weakened to beyond 3 to the Dollar after state broadcaster TRT said all university deans had been ordered to resign, recalling the sorts of broad purges seen in the wake of successful military coups of the past. In a sign of international concern, a German official said a serious fissure had opened in Turkey, and he feared fighting would break out within Germany's large Turkish community. "A deep split is emerging in Turkish society," Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper. "The danger of an escalation in violence between Erdogan supporters and opponents has also risen in Germany." Double standards Turkey's Western allies have expressed solidarity with the government over the coup attempt, but also alarm at the scale and swiftness of the response, urging it to adhere to democratic values. Prime Minister Yildirim accused Washington, which has said it will consider Gulen's extradition only if clear evidence is provided, of double standards in its fight against terrorism. Yildirim said the justice ministry had sent a dossier to US authorities on Gulen, whose religious movement blends conservative Islamic values with a pro-Western outlook and who has a network of supporters within Turkey. "We have more than enough evidence, more than you could ask for, on Gulen," justice minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters outside Parliament. "There is no need to prove the coup attempt, all evidence shows that the coup attempt was organised on his will and orders." White House spokesman Josh Earnest confirmed Ankara had filed materials in electronic form with the US government, which officials were reviewing. Any extradition request from Turkey, once submitted, would be evaluated under the terms of a treaty between the two countries, he added. This treaty excludes offences "of a political character" although it does cover those "committed or attempted against a head of state or a head of government". Any extradition request would face legal and political hurdles in the United States. Even if approved by a judge, it would still have to go to secretary of state John Kerry, who can consider non-legal factors, such as humanitarian arguments. "I urge the US government to reject any effort to abuse the extradition process to carry out political vendettas," Gulen said on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Alliance for Shared Values, a group associated with the cleric. Turkey's deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus told reporters that 9,322 people were under legal proceedings in relation to the attempted coup. Eight soldiers have sought asylum in neighbouring Greece, and Turkey says they must be handed back or it will not help relations between the neighbours, which have long been uneasy. Around 1,400 people were wounded as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and warplanes, strafing Parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul. The army general staff said it would punish "in the most severe way" any members of the armed forces responsible for what it called "this disgrace", adding that most had nothing to do with the coup. Death penalty centre stage Some Western leaders expressed concern that Erdogan, who said he was almost killed or captured by the mutineers, was using the opportunity to consolidate power and further a process of stifling dissent. UN high commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, voiced "serious alarm" on Tuesday at the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors and urged Turkey to allow independent monitors to visit those who have been detained. The foreign ministry has said criticism of the government's response amounts to backing the coup. Turkey scrapped capital punishment in 2004 as part of its push to join the European Union, and European leaders have warned Ankara that restoring it would derail its EU aspirations. But in the aftermath of the coup, Erdogan has repeatedly called for Parliament to consider his supporters' demands to apply the death penalty for the plotters. Yildirim said Turkey would respect the rule of law and not be driven by revenge in prosecuting suspected coup plotters. Speaking alongside the leader of the main secularist opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), he said the country must avoid the risk that some people try to exploit the current situation. "We need unity...and brotherhood now," he said. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a right-wing grouping and the smallest of the three opposition parties represented in parliament, said it would back the government if it decides to restore the death penalty. More than 6,000 soldiers and around 1,500 others have been detained since the abortive coup. About 8,000 police officers, including in the capital Ankara and the biggest city Istanbul, have been removed on suspicion of links to the plot. Some 1,500 finance ministry officials have also been removed from their posts. Annual leave has been suspended for more than three million civil servants, while close to 3,000 judges and prosecutors have also been purged. A court remanded 26 generals and admirals in custody on Monday, Turkish media said. Former air force chief accused Officials in Ankara say former air force chief Akin Ozturk, who has appeared in detention with his face and arms bruised and one ear bandaged, was a co-leader of the coup. Turkish media said on Monday he had denied this to prosecutors, saying he had tried to prevent the attempted putsch. The coup crumbled after Erdogan, on holiday with his family at the coastal resort of Marmaris, phoned in to a television news programme and called for his followers to take to the streets. He was able to fly into Istanbul in the early hours of Saturday, after the rebel pilots had his plane in their sights but did not shoot it down. He said on Monday he might have died if he had left Marmaris any later and that two of his bodyguards had been killed. The bloodshed shocked the nation, where the army last used force to stage a successful coup more than 30 years ago, and shattered fragile confidence in the stability of a NATO member state already rocked by Islamic State suicide bombings and an insurgency by Kurdish militants. (Reuters)

Erdogan targets more than 50,000 in purge after failed coup

Turkey widened its massive post-coup purge to schools and the media on Tuesday, vowing to root out supporters of an exiled Islamic cleric it accuses of orchestrating the attempted power grab. 
 
Global alarm is mounting over the retaliatory action since Friday&#39;s failed putsch, which has already seen a massive crackdown in the military, police and judiciary and thousands detained including top generals. 
 
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had sent dossiers to the United States to demand for the extradition of reclusive preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has emerged as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s greatest foe. 
 
Tuesday&#39;s action largely targeted supporters of Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania but retains vast interests in Turkey ranging from media to finance to schools and wields influence in various apparatus including the judiciary and police. 
 
&quot;We will pull them out by the roots... so that no clandestine terrorist organisation, no separatist organisation, will dare to betray Turkey again,&quot; Yildirim warned. 
 
The government suspended 15,200 state education employees allegedly linked to the &quot;Fethullah Terrorist Organisation&quot; -- its name for Gulen&#39;s network -- and demanded the resignation of almost 1,600 deans from private and state universities. 
 
Accused of treason : 
 
The authorities also cancelled licences for radio and television stations said to be linked to the so-called Gulenists. 
 
The state-run Anadolu news agency said 24 media outlets were hit, while 34 journalists were stripped of their press cards. 
 
Already, almost 9,000 people including police, judges and government officials had been sacked in the days following Friday&#39;s coup. 
 
About 9,300 people have also been detained, including top generals accused of treason for allegedly masterminding the plot as well as soldiers, police and judges. 
 
Yildirim nevertheless warned Turks against exacting &quot;revenge&quot; on backers of the attempted overthrow, after disturbing pictures emerged of rough treatment meted out to suspects. 
 
Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin defended the mass detentions and called on Washington to cooperate in handing over Gulen. 
 
Parallel state : 
 
Ankara has long accused Gulen, once a close Erdogan ally sharing his Islamo-conservative views, of operating a parallel state in Turkey with the aim of toppling the government. 
 
Gulen dismissed the allegations he was involved in what he called &quot;treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation,&quot; and said he was not concerned by the extradition move. 
 
He suggested Erdogan himself may have staged the putsch, an idea dismissed by the presidency as &quot;nonsensical&quot;. 
 
Turkey&#39;s anxious Western allies have told Ankara to abide by the rule of law amid fears about a worsening state of democracy and human rights in the strategic NATO nation. 
 
UN rights chief Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein urged a fair trial for the suspects and voiced &quot;serious alarm&quot; over the purges. 
 
&quot;This is the reaction of a wounded animal, a government which fears a repeat of the coup,&quot; political scientist Ahmet Insel said. 
 
&quot;But it is also a sign that it was already preparing purges of this kind and seized the opportunity.&quot; 
 
Erdogan&#39;s suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has also sent shudders through Europe, with the EU warning such a move would be the nail in the coffin of Turkey&#39;s already embattled bid to join the bloc. 
 
Stability fears : 
 
The coup bid was the most serious threat to Erdogan since he took power first as prime minister in 2003, and saw rebel troops close down bridges in Istanbul, parliament bombed from the sky and protesters shot in the streets. 
 
The government says 312 people were killed, including 145 civilians, 60 police, three soldiers and 104 plotters. 
 
The chaos has raised deep concerns about the stability of the country, home to a key base used in the US-led fight against the Islamic State group and which houses a large nuclear weapons stockpile. 
 
The ensuing crackdowns have hit financial markets, with the currency plunging to around three Lira to the Dollar, after the central bank cut interest rates and Moody&#39;s said it was reviewing Turkey for a possible downgrade. 
 
An Ankara court on Monday remanded in custody 26 former generals over the putsch, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, who has been painted by some Turkish media as the mastermind but has denied the claims. 
 
State media published images of a haggard-looking Ozturk, one ear heavily bandaged, and other suspects at the courthouse, their hands tied behind their backs. 
 
The military has often had strained relations with Erdogan&#39;s Islamic-rooted government as the guardians of Turkey&#39;s secular system and has carried out coups in the past. 
 
But it said the vast majority of its members had nothing to do with Friday&#39;s plot and that the &quot;traitors&quot; would be punished severely. 
 
Erdogan has remained in Istanbul since he flew back on Saturday from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. 
 
The president, who critics have long accused of becoming increasingly autocratic, has spoken to supporters every night, urging them to maintain a &quot;vigil&quot; for democracy. 
 
He told CNN his life had been in grave danger. &quot;If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The government suspended 15,200 state education employees allegedly linked to the 'Fethullah Terrorist Organisation'

Turkey widened its massive post-coup purge to schools and the media on Tuesday, vowing to root out supporters of an exiled Islamic cleric it accuses of orchestrating the attempted power grab. Global alarm is mounting over the retaliatory action since Friday's failed putsch, which has already seen a massive crackdown in the military, police and judiciary and thousands detained including top generals. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had sent dossiers to the United States to demand for the extradition of reclusive preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has emerged as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's greatest foe. Tuesday's action largely targeted supporters of Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania but retains vast interests in Turkey ranging from media to finance to schools and wields influence in various apparatus including the judiciary and police. "We will pull them out by the roots... so that no clandestine terrorist organisation, no separatist organisation, will dare to betray Turkey again," Yildirim warned. The government suspended 15,200 state education employees allegedly linked to the "Fethullah Terrorist Organisation" -- its name for Gulen's network -- and demanded the resignation of almost 1,600 deans from private and state universities. Accused of treason : The authorities also cancelled licences for radio and television stations said to be linked to the so-called Gulenists. The state-run Anadolu news agency said 24 media outlets were hit, while 34 journalists were stripped of their press cards. Already, almost 9,000 people including police, judges and government officials had been sacked in the days following Friday's coup. About 9,300 people have also been detained, including top generals accused of treason for allegedly masterminding the plot as well as soldiers, police and judges. Yildirim nevertheless warned Turks against exacting "revenge" on backers of the attempted overthrow, after disturbing pictures emerged of rough treatment meted out to suspects. Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin defended the mass detentions and called on Washington to cooperate in handing over Gulen. Parallel state : Ankara has long accused Gulen, once a close Erdogan ally sharing his Islamo-conservative views, of operating a parallel state in Turkey with the aim of toppling the government. Gulen dismissed the allegations he was involved in what he called "treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation," and said he was not concerned by the extradition move. He suggested Erdogan himself may have staged the putsch, an idea dismissed by the presidency as "nonsensical". Turkey's anxious Western allies have told Ankara to abide by the rule of law amid fears about a worsening state of democracy and human rights in the strategic NATO nation. UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein urged a fair trial for the suspects and voiced "serious alarm" over the purges. "This is the reaction of a wounded animal, a government which fears a repeat of the coup," political scientist Ahmet Insel said. "But it is also a sign that it was already preparing purges of this kind and seized the opportunity." Erdogan's suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has also sent shudders through Europe, with the EU warning such a move would be the nail in the coffin of Turkey's already embattled bid to join the bloc. Stability fears : The coup bid was the most serious threat to Erdogan since he took power first as prime minister in 2003, and saw rebel troops close down bridges in Istanbul, parliament bombed from the sky and protesters shot in the streets. The government says 312 people were killed, including 145 civilians, 60 police, three soldiers and 104 plotters. The chaos has raised deep concerns about the stability of the country, home to a key base used in the US-led fight against the Islamic State group and which houses a large nuclear weapons stockpile. The ensuing crackdowns have hit financial markets, with the currency plunging to around three Lira to the Dollar, after the central bank cut interest rates and Moody's said it was reviewing Turkey for a possible downgrade. An Ankara court on Monday remanded in custody 26 former generals over the putsch, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, who has been painted by some Turkish media as the mastermind but has denied the claims. State media published images of a haggard-looking Ozturk, one ear heavily bandaged, and other suspects at the courthouse, their hands tied behind their backs. The military has often had strained relations with Erdogan's Islamic-rooted government as the guardians of Turkey's secular system and has carried out coups in the past. But it said the vast majority of its members had nothing to do with Friday's plot and that the "traitors" would be punished severely. Erdogan has remained in Istanbul since he flew back on Saturday from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. The president, who critics have long accused of becoming increasingly autocratic, has spoken to supporters every night, urging them to maintain a "vigil" for democracy. He told CNN his life had been in grave danger. "If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them." (AFP)

Turkey targets schools and media, suspends 15,000 state education employees post-coup

All political prisoners in Turkey are being denied the right to meet lawyers, family, and make phone calls, said the Mesopotamia Lawyers Association. 
 
In addition, Turkey has banned 72 websites after&nbsp;after a failed coup which targeted the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15.&nbsp;Turkey has also dismissed almost 9,000 officials, including a massive number of police officers,&nbsp;the state-run Anadolu news agency said yesterday citing the interior ministry. 
 
A total of 8,777 public personnel including 7,899 police, one provincial governor and 29 governors of towns have been dismissed, the ministry said.&nbsp;They also include 614 members of the police force that looks after domestic security, it added. 
 
Turkey&#39;s cracked down on coup plotters has left over 290 dead, as President Erdogan pointed the finger of blame at the supporters of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is believed to wield influence in the police and judiciary. 
 
Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty after the failed attempt to overthrow his government. 
 
&quot;In democracies, decisions are made based on what the people say. I think our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision,&quot; he said, reacting to crowds in Istanbul calling for capital punishment. 
 
&quot;We cannot delay this anymore because in this country, those who launch a coup will have to pay the price for it,&quot; he told supporters after attending funerals for the putsch victims. 
 
In the aftermath of Friday&#39;s foiled coup, there have been frequent calls from thousands of Erdogan supporters for capital punishment to make a return. 
 
Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 under reforms aimed at obtaining European Union membership. 
 
Reinstatement would create further issues between the EU and Ankara in the already stalled membership talks. 
 
Erdogan repeated calls for the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, blaming the coup on the US-based Islamic preacher and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. 
 
Gulen condemned the military uprising &quot;in the strongest terms&quot; in a rare interview with reporters in Pennsylvania and rejected charges of being the coup mastermind, suggesting Erdogan may have staged it himself. 
 
Erdogan earlier broken down in tears at the funeral of his long-time friend, Erol Olcak, and his 16-year-old son who were shot dead on Friday on the Bosphorus bridge. 
 
(Agencies)

Turkey has also banned 72 news websites after?a coup attempt on July 15 targeting the government of President Recep Erdogan failed

All political prisoners in Turkey are being denied the right to meet lawyers, family, and make phone calls, said the Mesopotamia Lawyers Association. In addition, Turkey has banned 72 websites after after a failed coup which targeted the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15. Turkey has also dismissed almost 9,000 officials, including a massive number of police officers, the state-run Anadolu news agency said yesterday citing the interior ministry. A total of 8,777 public personnel including 7,899 police, one provincial governor and 29 governors of towns have been dismissed, the ministry said. They also include 614 members of the police force that looks after domestic security, it added. Turkey's cracked down on coup plotters has left over 290 dead, as President Erdogan pointed the finger of blame at the supporters of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is believed to wield influence in the police and judiciary. Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty after the failed attempt to overthrow his government. "In democracies, decisions are made based on what the people say. I think our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision," he said, reacting to crowds in Istanbul calling for capital punishment. "We cannot delay this anymore because in this country, those who launch a coup will have to pay the price for it," he told supporters after attending funerals for the putsch victims. In the aftermath of Friday's foiled coup, there have been frequent calls from thousands of Erdogan supporters for capital punishment to make a return. Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 under reforms aimed at obtaining European Union membership. Reinstatement would create further issues between the EU and Ankara in the already stalled membership talks. Erdogan repeated calls for the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, blaming the coup on the US-based Islamic preacher and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. Gulen condemned the military uprising "in the strongest terms" in a rare interview with reporters in Pennsylvania and rejected charges of being the coup mastermind, suggesting Erdogan may have staged it himself. Erdogan earlier broken down in tears at the funeral of his long-time friend, Erol Olcak, and his 16-year-old son who were shot dead on Friday on the Bosphorus bridge. (Agencies)

'Political prisoners denied the right to meet lawyers, family or make phone calls in Turkey'

More than 15,000 Turkish state education employees have been suspended after last week&#39;s attempted coup, the education ministry said today. 
 
It said in a statement: &quot;15,200 state employees have been suspended and an investigation has been launched into them&quot;. 
 
The ministry said the suspensions were linked to the &quot;Fethullah Terrorist Organisation&quot; (FETO), which is how it labels the loose network of followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a foe of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 
 
Erdogan has laid the blame fully on Gulen and his followers who have strongly denied any links to the putsch. 
 
&quot;There is an investigation into those linked to FETO,&quot; the ministry said, but did not give further details on what kind of employees were suspended. 
 
Meanwhile, the country&#39;s higher education board demanded that 1,577 deans at universities resign, state-run news agency Anadolu reported today. 
 
Among the deans, 1,176 are from state universities, while 401 deans work at private foundation universities, Anadolu said. 
 
Since the failed putsch on Friday, about 9,000, including police and government officials, have been sacked. 
 
Another 7,500 have been detained including top generals accused of masterminding the plot. 
 
(AFP)

The education ministry said the suspensions were linked to the so-called 'Fethullah Terrorist Organisation' of a US-based Muslim cleric

More than 15,000 Turkish state education employees have been suspended after last week's attempted coup, the education ministry said today. It said in a statement: "15,200 state employees have been suspended and an investigation has been launched into them". The ministry said the suspensions were linked to the "Fethullah Terrorist Organisation" (FETO), which is how it labels the loose network of followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a foe of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan has laid the blame fully on Gulen and his followers who have strongly denied any links to the putsch. "There is an investigation into those linked to FETO," the ministry said, but did not give further details on what kind of employees were suspended. Meanwhile, the country's higher education board demanded that 1,577 deans at universities resign, state-run news agency Anadolu reported today. Among the deans, 1,176 are from state universities, while 401 deans work at private foundation universities, Anadolu said. Since the failed putsch on Friday, about 9,000, including police and government officials, have been sacked. Another 7,500 have been detained including top generals accused of masterminding the plot. (AFP)

Turkey coup: 15,000 education staff suspended

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim today warned against exacting revenge on supporters of the failed coup, as Ankara arrested top generals in a relentless crackdown that has sparked global alarm. 
 
&quot;One mistake cannot be corrected with another mistake. Turkey is a state with law. We are setting things right within the framework of the law. Those who committed wrong will face the Turkish justice system,&quot; Yildirim told reporters, speaking alongside Turkey&#39;s main opposition party leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. 
 
Yildirim said the country must avoid the risk that some people may try to exploit the current situation. 
 
Erdogan has denounced the coup bid, which left more than 300 dead on all sides, as a treacherous bid to oust him from power devised from the US compound of his arch-enemy, exiled Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen. 
 
But with the authorities detaining over 7,500 so far in a massive legal crackdown and sacking almost 9,000, Turkey&#39;s EU and NATO allies have urged Ankara to keep the rule of law in place. 
 
Erdogan&#39;s suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has sent shudders through Europe and sparked warnings such a move would be the nail in the coffin of its already embattled bid to join the EU. 
 
An Ankara court on late Monday placed under arrest 26 former generals suspected of planning Friday&#39;s attempted power grab, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, whom some Turkish media have painted as the mastermind of the plot. 
 
The generals have now been put behind bars ahead of their trials, a date for which has not been sent. 
 
They have been charged with crimes including seeking to overturn the constitutional order, leading an armed group and seeking to assassinate the president. 
 
In his statement to prosecutors, Ozturk denied he was the coup ringleader. 
 
&quot;I am not the person who planned or led the coup. Who planned it and directed it, I do not know,&quot; state-run news agency Anadolu quoted him as saying. 
 
&#39;Betrayal of Turkish nation&#39; 
 
Turkey&#39;s treatment of the suspects has alarmed its allies especially after some were paraded before the media and shown being subjected to rough treatment. 
 
Anadolu published images of Ozturk and other suspects on the stairs inside the Ankara courthouse, staring blankly into the camera with their hands tied behind their backs. 
 
Ozturk has looked tired and haggard in images published by state media, with one of his ears heavily bandaged. 
 
Images have also emerged of government supporters physically attacking coup backers when they were detained. 
 
&quot;Nobody can have a feeling of revenge. This is unacceptable in a state governed by rule of law,&quot; Yildirim said after meeting secular opposition Republican People&#39;s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. 
 
The interior ministry said almost 9,000 people, including nearly 8,000 police but also municipal governors and other officials, had also been dismissed in a widening purge. 
 
Turkey has blamed Friday&#39;s events on supporters within the military of Gulen, who Ankara accused of running a group it dubs the &quot;Fetullahci Terror Organisation&quot; (FETO). 
 
Ankara has piled the pressure on Washington to extradite Gulen to face trial at home but US secretary of state John Kerry said Monday he wanted to see evidence and not allegations. 
 
Yildirim said Tuesday that Turkey had sent four dossiers to the United States over Gulen&#39;s alleged links to the overthrow plot. 
 
The reclusive cleric said in an interview with several media outlets including AFP at his compound in the US state of Pennsylvania that he has &quot;no concerns personally&quot; about the extradition request. 
 
&quot;The rule of law reigns supreme here. I don&#39;t believe this government will pay attention to anything that is not legally sound,&quot; he said. 
 
He called the putsch attempt &quot;treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation.&quot; 
 
&#39;Cracking down not justice&#39; 
 
Turkey abolished the death penalty for all forms of crime in 2004 but the government now claims there is growing public pressure to reinstate it for the coup plotters. 
 
Erdogan told CNN in his first media interview since the coup bid that he would approve any decision by parliament to reintroduce capital punishment. 
 
&quot;There is a clear crime of treason,&quot; he said. 
 
But the EU -- which Turkey has for years tried to join in a stalled accession process -- warned of the consequences of such a move. 
 
&quot;No country can become an EU state if it introduces the death penalty,&quot; EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said. 
 
Amnesty International said it was alarmed by the widening crackdown. 
 
&quot;Cracking down on dissent and threatening to bring back the death penalty are not justice,&quot; said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty&#39;s director for Europe and Central Asia. 
 
Erdogan has remained in Istanbul ever since he dramatically flew back on Saturday to the city from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. 
 
It was unclear when he would be returning to the capital Ankara. Every night since the coup he has spoken to supporters in the Istanbul district of Kisikli, where he has a home, urging them to maintain a &quot;vigil&quot; for democracy. 
 
Erdogan told CNN his life had been in grave danger. &quot;If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them.&quot; 
 
Yildirim said 208 people were killed during the coup bid, including 145 civilians, 60 police and three loyalist soldiers. The military said 104 coup plotters were killed. 
 
In an intriguing twist, a Turkish official said two Turkish pilots who played a role in the downing of a Russian plane in November that led to a crisis in ties between Moscow and Ankara are in custody over the failed coup. 
 
(Agencies)

Turkish authorities have more than 7,500 suspects in custody. Turkey's EU and NATO allies have urged Ankara to keep the rule of law in place

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim today warned against exacting revenge on supporters of the failed coup, as Ankara arrested top generals in a relentless crackdown that has sparked global alarm. "One mistake cannot be corrected with another mistake. Turkey is a state with law. We are setting things right within the framework of the law. Those who committed wrong will face the Turkish justice system," Yildirim told reporters, speaking alongside Turkey's main opposition party leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Yildirim said the country must avoid the risk that some people may try to exploit the current situation. Erdogan has denounced the coup bid, which left more than 300 dead on all sides, as a treacherous bid to oust him from power devised from the US compound of his arch-enemy, exiled Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen. But with the authorities detaining over 7,500 so far in a massive legal crackdown and sacking almost 9,000, Turkey's EU and NATO allies have urged Ankara to keep the rule of law in place. Erdogan's suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has sent shudders through Europe and sparked warnings such a move would be the nail in the coffin of its already embattled bid to join the EU. An Ankara court on late Monday placed under arrest 26 former generals suspected of planning Friday's attempted power grab, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, whom some Turkish media have painted as the mastermind of the plot. The generals have now been put behind bars ahead of their trials, a date for which has not been sent. They have been charged with crimes including seeking to overturn the constitutional order, leading an armed group and seeking to assassinate the president. In his statement to prosecutors, Ozturk denied he was the coup ringleader. "I am not the person who planned or led the coup. Who planned it and directed it, I do not know," state-run news agency Anadolu quoted him as saying. 'Betrayal of Turkish nation' Turkey's treatment of the suspects has alarmed its allies especially after some were paraded before the media and shown being subjected to rough treatment. Anadolu published images of Ozturk and other suspects on the stairs inside the Ankara courthouse, staring blankly into the camera with their hands tied behind their backs. Ozturk has looked tired and haggard in images published by state media, with one of his ears heavily bandaged. Images have also emerged of government supporters physically attacking coup backers when they were detained. "Nobody can have a feeling of revenge. This is unacceptable in a state governed by rule of law," Yildirim said after meeting secular opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The interior ministry said almost 9,000 people, including nearly 8,000 police but also municipal governors and other officials, had also been dismissed in a widening purge. Turkey has blamed Friday's events on supporters within the military of Gulen, who Ankara accused of running a group it dubs the "Fetullahci Terror Organisation" (FETO). Ankara has piled the pressure on Washington to extradite Gulen to face trial at home but US secretary of state John Kerry said Monday he wanted to see evidence and not allegations. Yildirim said Tuesday that Turkey had sent four dossiers to the United States over Gulen's alleged links to the overthrow plot. The reclusive cleric said in an interview with several media outlets including AFP at his compound in the US state of Pennsylvania that he has "no concerns personally" about the extradition request. "The rule of law reigns supreme here. I don't believe this government will pay attention to anything that is not legally sound," he said. He called the putsch attempt "treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation." 'Cracking down not justice' Turkey abolished the death penalty for all forms of crime in 2004 but the government now claims there is growing public pressure to reinstate it for the coup plotters. Erdogan told CNN in his first media interview since the coup bid that he would approve any decision by parliament to reintroduce capital punishment. "There is a clear crime of treason," he said. But the EU -- which Turkey has for years tried to join in a stalled accession process -- warned of the consequences of such a move. "No country can become an EU state if it introduces the death penalty," EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said. Amnesty International said it was alarmed by the widening crackdown. "Cracking down on dissent and threatening to bring back the death penalty are not justice," said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty's director for Europe and Central Asia. Erdogan has remained in Istanbul ever since he dramatically flew back on Saturday to the city from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. It was unclear when he would be returning to the capital Ankara. Every night since the coup he has spoken to supporters in the Istanbul district of Kisikli, where he has a home, urging them to maintain a "vigil" for democracy. Erdogan told CNN his life had been in grave danger. "If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them." Yildirim said 208 people were killed during the coup bid, including 145 civilians, 60 police and three loyalist soldiers. The military said 104 coup plotters were killed. In an intriguing twist, a Turkish official said two Turkish pilots who played a role in the downing of a Russian plane in November that led to a crisis in ties between Moscow and Ankara are in custody over the failed coup. (Agencies)

Turkey jails generals as Erdogan vows to adhere to rule of law in coup plotters' prosecution

Turkey has dismissed almost 9,000 officials, including a massive number of police officers, after a failed coup targeting the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the state-run Anadolu news agency said citing the interior ministry. 
 
A total of 8,777 public personnel including 7,899 police, one provincial governor and 29 governors of towns have been dismissed, the ministry said.&nbsp;They also include 614 members of the police force that looks after domestic security, it added. 
 
Turkey has cracked down on coup plotters that left over 290 dead, as Erdogan pointed the finger of blame at the supporters of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is believed to wield influence in the police and judiciary. 
 
(AFP)

A total of 8,777 public personnel, including 7,899 police, one provincial governor and 29 governors of towns, have been dismissed

Turkey has dismissed almost 9,000 officials, including a massive number of police officers, after a failed coup targeting the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the state-run Anadolu news agency said citing the interior ministry. A total of 8,777 public personnel including 7,899 police, one provincial governor and 29 governors of towns have been dismissed, the ministry said. They also include 614 members of the police force that looks after domestic security, it added. Turkey has cracked down on coup plotters that left over 290 dead, as Erdogan pointed the finger of blame at the supporters of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is believed to wield influence in the police and judiciary. (AFP)

Turkey dismisses almost 9,000 officials after failed coup

Turkish Intelligence Agency (MIT) released today footage of their main headquarters in capital of Ankara coming under attack by rebel helicopters during Friday&#39;s military coup attempt. 
 
Footage from various surveillance cameras showed MIT&#39;s front and back entrance gates coming under fire, and intelligence agents opening fire into the air trying to take down rebel helicopters. 
 
More than 290 people were killed and around 1,400 wounded in the violence on Friday night, as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and fighter jets in a bid to seize power, strafing parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul. 
 
The bloodshed shocked the nation of almost 80 million, where the army last used force to stage a successful coup more than 30 years ago, and shattered fragile confidence in the stability of a NATO member state already rocked by Islamic State suicide bombings and an insurgency by Kurdish militants. 
 
(Reuters)

Footage from various cameras captured the agency's front and back entrance gates coming under fire

Turkish Intelligence Agency (MIT) released today footage of their main headquarters in capital of Ankara coming under attack by rebel helicopters during Friday's military coup attempt. Footage from various surveillance cameras showed MIT's front and back entrance gates coming under fire, and intelligence agents opening fire into the air trying to take down rebel helicopters. More than 290 people were killed and around 1,400 wounded in the violence on Friday night, as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and fighter jets in a bid to seize power, strafing parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul. The bloodshed shocked the nation of almost 80 million, where the army last used force to stage a successful coup more than 30 years ago, and shattered fragile confidence in the stability of a NATO member state already rocked by Islamic State suicide bombings and an insurgency by Kurdish militants. (Reuters)

Surveillance videos show attack on Turkey's intelligence agency

Detained Turkish soldiers were brought to court in Ankara today under tight police guard following Friday night&#39;s coup bid by a faction in the army. 
 
Thousands of members of the armed forces, from foot soldiers to commanders, were rounded up on Sunday, some shown in photographs stripped to their underpants and handcuffed on the floors of police buses and a sports hall.&nbsp;Several thousand prosecutors and judges have also been removed. 
 
The court appearance came as Turkey suspended thousands of police officers, widening a purge of the armed forces and judiciary after a failed military coup, and raising concern among European allies that it was abandoning the rule of law. 
 
A senior security official told Reuters 8,000 police officers, including in the capital Ankara and the biggest city Istanbul, had been removed from their posts on suspicion of links to Friday&#39;s coup bid.&nbsp;Thirty regional governors and more than 50 high-ranking civil servants have also been dismissed, CNN Turk said. 
 
(Reuters)

Turkey has suspended thousands of police officers, widening a purge of the armed forces and judiciary after a failed military coup

Detained Turkish soldiers were brought to court in Ankara today under tight police guard following Friday night's coup bid by a faction in the army. Thousands of members of the armed forces, from foot soldiers to commanders, were rounded up on Sunday, some shown in photographs stripped to their underpants and handcuffed on the floors of police buses and a sports hall. Several thousand prosecutors and judges have also been removed. The court appearance came as Turkey suspended thousands of police officers, widening a purge of the armed forces and judiciary after a failed military coup, and raising concern among European allies that it was abandoning the rule of law. A senior security official told Reuters 8,000 police officers, including in the capital Ankara and the biggest city Istanbul, had been removed from their posts on suspicion of links to Friday's coup bid. Thirty regional governors and more than 50 high-ranking civil servants have also been dismissed, CNN Turk said. (Reuters)

Turkey coup: Detained soldiers brought to Ankara court under tight security

Turkish authorities today&nbsp;pressed on with a ruthless crackdown against suspects in the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with 6,000 detained,&nbsp;including generals, that has sparked international concern. 
 
The government&#39;s control has been restored across Turkey and although a few groups of coup plotters are holding out in Istanbul, they no longer pose a risk, a senior official told Reuters today. 
 
There are also a few important members of the military who have not been captured, the official said, adding that they looked likely to be caught soon.

World leaders including US President Barack Obama have strongly condemned the attempted putsch but also urged Turkey to respect the rule of law in its aftermath, especially after pictures emerged showing the rough treatment of some coup plotters when arrested.

Justice minister Bekir Bozdag said today&nbsp;that around 6,000 had been detained and the number would rise.

&quot;The clean-up operations are continuing,&quot; he was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency.

According to the government, 161 civilians and regular troops lost their lives when a group within the army sought to overthrow the authorities by seizing key strategic points in Istanbul and Ankara late Friday.

Over 100 coup plotters were also killed, the military has said.

The botched coup bid was the biggest challenge to Erdogan&#39;s rule in his 13 years as Prime Minister and now President. But he successfully mobilised supporters into the streets to face down the plotters.

Thousands responded late Saturday to a new call by the president to pour into the squares to celebrate the &quot;victory of democracy&quot; with mass rallies of flag-waving Turks reported in cities including Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.

Europe minister Omer Celik urged people to stay on the streets, writing on Twitter that the &quot;vigil for democracy&quot; continues. 
 
&#39;Respect rule of law&#39;

The Turkish authorities have made clear they will show no mercy in the wake of the coup, accusing the plotters of acting on behalf of Erdogan&#39;s arch enemy, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

Turkish television has shown images of captured suspects forced to lie face down on the tarmac after their arrest while AFP photographers have seen suspects roughly led away pursued by angry mobs.

NTV television said 34 generals of various grades had been detained so far. They include senior figures like Erdal Ozturk, commander of the third army and the commander of the Malatya-based second army, Adem Huduti.

In an operation early today, authorities detained the commander of the garrison in the western town of Denizli, Ozhan Ozbakir, along with 51 other soldiers.

Turkey also detained a senior air force general and other officers accused of backing the failed coup at a key air base used by US forces for raids in Syria.

Brigadier air force general Bekir Ercan Van was detained along with over a dozen lower ranking officers on Saturday at the Incirlik air force base in southern Turkey.

Former chief of staff Ilker Basbug told Dogan news agency that Turkey should make a distinction between the coup planners and young soldiers &quot;of 20 years old who may have been mistaken&quot;.

The crackdown is however not restricted to the military and Anadolu said prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for a total of 2,745 judges and prosecutors across Turkey.

The entire investigation is being led by Ankara prosecutors and those arrested are suspected of belonging to Gulen&#39;s group, which Turkey dubs the &#39;Fethullahci Terror Organisation (FETO)&#39;.

Gulen&#39;s supporters say their group which they call Hizmet (Service) is entirely peaceful.

Obama has warned Turkey there is a &quot;vital need&quot; for all parties to &quot;act within the rule of law&quot; in the aftermath of the coup.

French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warned Erdogan against using the failed putsch as a &quot;blank cheque&quot; to silence his opponents.

However there was no such concern from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who called Erdogan to wish for a &quot;speedy restoration of strong constitutional order&quot;.

Erdogan and Putin, who were feuding over the shooting down of a Russian jet until last month, will meet in the first week of August, Anadolu said.
&#39;Extradite Gulen&#39;

Friday&#39;s putsch bid began with rebel F-16 jets screaming low over rooftops in Ankara, soldiers and tanks taking to the streets. Rebel troops also moved to block the two bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul.

Turks have not seen such scenes since 1980 when the military led by general Kenan Evren ousted the government and many had no desire to revive these memories.

Erdogan has pinned the blame on Gulen, an erstwhile ally he accuses of running a &quot;parallel state&quot;, and called on Obama to extradite the reclusive preacher to face justice.

&quot;Mr President, I told you myself, either deport or hand over to us this person who lives in 400 acres of land in Pennsylvania,&quot; he told a triumphant rally in Istanbul late Saturday, carefully not referring to Gulen by name.

In an interview with Haberturk television, Labour Minister Suleyman Soylu went even further, saying: &quot;The United States is behind the coup&quot; and adding it had now to handover Gulen.

But Gulen has categorically denied any involvement in the plot and suggested it could have been staged by Erdogan himself.

Meanwhile, Turkey has demanded the extradition of eight people thought to have been involved in the putsch who landed in a Black Hawk military helicopter in Greece.

The suspects are still in Greece, but the chopper itself is now been flown back to Turkey, a Turkish official said.

Istanbul authorities have sought to get life back to normal but Washington on Saturday warned citizens against travel to the country due to uncertainty after the coup bid. 
 
(AFP &amp; Reuters)

Government control restored. An official said a few coup plotters are holding out in Istanbul but they no longer pose a threat

Turkish authorities today pressed on with a ruthless crackdown against suspects in the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with 6,000 detained, including generals, that has sparked international concern. The government's control has been restored across Turkey and although a few groups of coup plotters are holding out in Istanbul, they no longer pose a risk, a senior official told Reuters today. There are also a few important members of the military who have not been captured, the official said, adding that they looked likely to be caught soon. World leaders including US President Barack Obama have strongly condemned the attempted putsch but also urged Turkey to respect the rule of law in its aftermath, especially after pictures emerged showing the rough treatment of some coup plotters when arrested. Justice minister Bekir Bozdag said today that around 6,000 had been detained and the number would rise. "The clean-up operations are continuing," he was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency. According to the government, 161 civilians and regular troops lost their lives when a group within the army sought to overthrow the authorities by seizing key strategic points in Istanbul and Ankara late Friday. Over 100 coup plotters were also killed, the military has said. The botched coup bid was the biggest challenge to Erdogan's rule in his 13 years as Prime Minister and now President. But he successfully mobilised supporters into the streets to face down the plotters. Thousands responded late Saturday to a new call by the president to pour into the squares to celebrate the "victory of democracy" with mass rallies of flag-waving Turks reported in cities including Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. Europe minister Omer Celik urged people to stay on the streets, writing on Twitter that the "vigil for democracy" continues. 'Respect rule of law' The Turkish authorities have made clear they will show no mercy in the wake of the coup, accusing the plotters of acting on behalf of Erdogan's arch enemy, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Turkish television has shown images of captured suspects forced to lie face down on the tarmac after their arrest while AFP photographers have seen suspects roughly led away pursued by angry mobs. NTV television said 34 generals of various grades had been detained so far. They include senior figures like Erdal Ozturk, commander of the third army and the commander of the Malatya-based second army, Adem Huduti. In an operation early today, authorities detained the commander of the garrison in the western town of Denizli, Ozhan Ozbakir, along with 51 other soldiers. Turkey also detained a senior air force general and other officers accused of backing the failed coup at a key air base used by US forces for raids in Syria. Brigadier air force general Bekir Ercan Van was detained along with over a dozen lower ranking officers on Saturday at the Incirlik air force base in southern Turkey. Former chief of staff Ilker Basbug told Dogan news agency that Turkey should make a distinction between the coup planners and young soldiers "of 20 years old who may have been mistaken". The crackdown is however not restricted to the military and Anadolu said prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for a total of 2,745 judges and prosecutors across Turkey. The entire investigation is being led by Ankara prosecutors and those arrested are suspected of belonging to Gulen's group, which Turkey dubs the 'Fethullahci Terror Organisation (FETO)'. Gulen's supporters say their group which they call Hizmet (Service) is entirely peaceful. Obama has warned Turkey there is a "vital need" for all parties to "act within the rule of law" in the aftermath of the coup. French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warned Erdogan against using the failed putsch as a "blank cheque" to silence his opponents. However there was no such concern from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who called Erdogan to wish for a "speedy restoration of strong constitutional order". Erdogan and Putin, who were feuding over the shooting down of a Russian jet until last month, will meet in the first week of August, Anadolu said. 'Extradite Gulen' Friday's putsch bid began with rebel F-16 jets screaming low over rooftops in Ankara, soldiers and tanks taking to the streets. Rebel troops also moved to block the two bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul. Turks have not seen such scenes since 1980 when the military led by general Kenan Evren ousted the government and many had no desire to revive these memories. Erdogan has pinned the blame on Gulen, an erstwhile ally he accuses of running a "parallel state", and called on Obama to extradite the reclusive preacher to face justice. "Mr President, I told you myself, either deport or hand over to us this person who lives in 400 acres of land in Pennsylvania," he told a triumphant rally in Istanbul late Saturday, carefully not referring to Gulen by name. In an interview with Haberturk television, Labour Minister Suleyman Soylu went even further, saying: "The United States is behind the coup" and adding it had now to handover Gulen. But Gulen has categorically denied any involvement in the plot and suggested it could have been staged by Erdogan himself. Meanwhile, Turkey has demanded the extradition of eight people thought to have been involved in the putsch who landed in a Black Hawk military helicopter in Greece. The suspects are still in Greece, but the chopper itself is now been flown back to Turkey, a Turkish official said. Istanbul authorities have sought to get life back to normal but Washington on Saturday warned citizens against travel to the country due to uncertainty after the coup bid. (AFP & Reuters)

Turkey detains 6,000 in 'clean-up ops' after failed military coup, sparks international concern

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on US President Barack Obama on Saturday to extradite US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen to Turkey. 
 
Erdogan blames G?len&nbsp;for the failed coup. There has been tension between&nbsp;G?len and Erdogan for years. In 2013, Erdogan blamed&nbsp;G?len loyalists in the police and the courts for launching an anti-corruption probe, that targetted, among others, the President&#39;s son.&nbsp;The Guardian newspaper reports that Amsterdam cited Turkish intelligence sources who claim, &quot;there are signs that&nbsp;G?len is working closely with certain members of military leadership against the elected civilian government&quot;. WION was not able to confirm this independently. 
 
&quot;After this coup attempt, once again I call on him (Obama). I say: &#39;Give this person in Pennsylvania to Turkey already.&#39; I call on the United States, if we are strategic partners, if we are model partners, please comply with your partner&#39;s request, because we give you every terrorist you wanted from us,&quot; Erdogan told his supporters demonstrating outside his house in Istanbul. 
 
Turkish authorities rounded up nearly 3,000 suspected military plotters on Saturday and ordered thousands of judges detained after thwarting a coup by rebels using tanks and attack helicopters to try to topple Erdogan. 
 
For several hours overnight on Friday, violence shook Turkey&#39;s two main cities, as the armed faction which tried to seize power blocked a bridge in Istanbul and strafed the headquarters of Turkish intelligence and parliament in Ankara. 
 
At least 265 people were killed. An official said 161 of them were mostly civilians and police officers, while the remaining 104 were coup supporters. 
 
(Reuters)

Please comply with your partner's request, because we give you every terrorist you wanted from us: Erdogan

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on US President Barack Obama on Saturday to extradite US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen to Turkey. Erdogan blames G?len for the failed coup. There has been tension between G?len and Erdogan for years. In 2013, Erdogan blamed G?len loyalists in the police and the courts for launching an anti-corruption probe, that targetted, among others, the President's son. The Guardian newspaper reports that Amsterdam cited Turkish intelligence sources who claim, "there are signs that G?len is working closely with certain members of military leadership against the elected civilian government". WION was not able to confirm this independently. "After this coup attempt, once again I call on him (Obama). I say: 'Give this person in Pennsylvania to Turkey already.' I call on the United States, if we are strategic partners, if we are model partners, please comply with your partner's request, because we give you every terrorist you wanted from us," Erdogan told his supporters demonstrating outside his house in Istanbul. Turkish authorities rounded up nearly 3,000 suspected military plotters on Saturday and ordered thousands of judges detained after thwarting a coup by rebels using tanks and attack helicopters to try to topple Erdogan. For several hours overnight on Friday, violence shook Turkey's two main cities, as the armed faction which tried to seize power blocked a bridge in Istanbul and strafed the headquarters of Turkish intelligence and parliament in Ankara. At least 265 people were killed. An official said 161 of them were mostly civilians and police officers, while the remaining 104 were coup supporters. (Reuters)

Turkey's President calls upon US to extradite rival blamed for coup attempt

What was once a marriage of convenience has become a bitter and damaging fight between two men that threatens to damage Turkish democracy and change its face forever. 
 
When a group within Turkeys military launched a coup on Friday night, Recep Tayyip Erdogan wasted little time in blaming Fethullah Gulen and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. 
 
Gulen, an Islamic preacher and former imam, is the spiritual leader of the moderate Islamic Hizmet movement that spans dozens of countries. He has firmly denied any involvement. 
 
His soft power in Turkey with thousands of followers, often called Gulenists by their opponents, offered Erdogan a base of supporters during the early years of his premiership from 2003. 
 
The two men&#39;s divorce in 2013 is often blamed on Erdogans efforts to reconcile with the Kurds in the south-east and his crackdown on the schools run by the movement called dershanes where students get extra help to pass the university entrance exam. 
 
The authorites detested the Gulen-run school system, fearing it was creating thousands of bright but loyal students who would take top positions in the police and judiciary. 
 
They also saw Gulens hand in the 2013 protests over the Gezi Park development in Istanbul, which snowballed into anti-government demonstrations across the country. 
 
With Erdogan now pressing the United States to extradite Gulen in the wake of the coup, their falling-out has now taken on an international dimension that could damage Washington-Ankara ties. 
 
According to Anthony Skinner, head of political risk at Verisk Maplecroft consultancy, the two mens friendship was based on challenging the control by the then secular establishment. 
 
The two groups wanted to weaken the military which had prior to Friday conducted three successful coups and forced the then-government out of office in 1997. 
 
&quot;They wanted greater control of the state. This was a burning priority for both the ruling AKP and the movement.&quot; Once in charge of the country, Skinner said there was a greater struggle for power, with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) having the upper hand. 
 
Gulenists became antagonised when AKP began to taste greater success in elections, said the analyst, especially over Erdogans rule and efforts towards forging a peace deal with the PKK (Kurdistan Worker&#39;s Party). 
 
&quot;We saw friction over the engagement with the PKK and the peace process,&quot; he said, noting it was the pro-Gulen press who in 2013 broke the news on secret talks between the two sides. 
 
Gulenists at the time said they supported peace but had concerns about the approach, Skinner said. 
 
But critics say they had concerns over the threat to their network and influence in the Kurdish southeast.The alliance unravelled in 2013 as Erdogan closed dershanes affiliated to Gulen. 
 
But the gauntlet was really thrown down in December 2013 with a massive corruption scandal that threatened to engulf Erdogan. 
 
Three government ministers were forced to resign over the affair which the government described as a Gulen-inspired coup attempt. 
 
Since the investigation, the two appear to have been involved in tit-for-tat attacks with social media leaks of alleged recordings of Erdogan and allies exposing corruption within the government, which they denied vehemently. 
 
The Erdogan government has purged thousands of officers within the police and army as well as members of the judiciary accused of having links to the preacher. 
 
Gulen-linked media organisations were also raided in March including the Zaman newspaper and the Cihan news agency. Authorities then brought in state administrators. 
 
Experts say there are Gulenist elements within the army but it is not possible to speculate on what links he could have to the plot. 
 
Natalie Martin, lecturer in politics and international relations at Nottingham Trent University, asked: &quot;Is it a Gulenist faction within the military? Possibly, but that seems a little bit too easy,&quot; she told AFP. 
 
For Skinner, it is unlikely Gulen ordered the coup because of the risk of extradition among other issues, but said supporters within the army could have conducted the putsch on Friday. 
 
But he too added: &quot;It is too early to tell.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The fall out is often blamed on Erdogan's efforts to reconcile with the Kurds in the south-east and his crackdown on Gulen-run school system

What was once a marriage of convenience has become a bitter and damaging fight between two men that threatens to damage Turkish democracy and change its face forever. When a group within Turkeys military launched a coup on Friday night, Recep Tayyip Erdogan wasted little time in blaming Fethullah Gulen and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. Gulen, an Islamic preacher and former imam, is the spiritual leader of the moderate Islamic Hizmet movement that spans dozens of countries. He has firmly denied any involvement. His soft power in Turkey with thousands of followers, often called Gulenists by their opponents, offered Erdogan a base of supporters during the early years of his premiership from 2003. The two men's divorce in 2013 is often blamed on Erdogans efforts to reconcile with the Kurds in the south-east and his crackdown on the schools run by the movement called dershanes where students get extra help to pass the university entrance exam. The authorites detested the Gulen-run school system, fearing it was creating thousands of bright but loyal students who would take top positions in the police and judiciary. They also saw Gulens hand in the 2013 protests over the Gezi Park development in Istanbul, which snowballed into anti-government demonstrations across the country. With Erdogan now pressing the United States to extradite Gulen in the wake of the coup, their falling-out has now taken on an international dimension that could damage Washington-Ankara ties. According to Anthony Skinner, head of political risk at Verisk Maplecroft consultancy, the two mens friendship was based on challenging the control by the then secular establishment. The two groups wanted to weaken the military which had prior to Friday conducted three successful coups and forced the then-government out of office in 1997. "They wanted greater control of the state. This was a burning priority for both the ruling AKP and the movement." Once in charge of the country, Skinner said there was a greater struggle for power, with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) having the upper hand. Gulenists became antagonised when AKP began to taste greater success in elections, said the analyst, especially over Erdogans rule and efforts towards forging a peace deal with the PKK (Kurdistan Worker's Party). "We saw friction over the engagement with the PKK and the peace process," he said, noting it was the pro-Gulen press who in 2013 broke the news on secret talks between the two sides. Gulenists at the time said they supported peace but had concerns about the approach, Skinner said. But critics say they had concerns over the threat to their network and influence in the Kurdish southeast.The alliance unravelled in 2013 as Erdogan closed dershanes affiliated to Gulen. But the gauntlet was really thrown down in December 2013 with a massive corruption scandal that threatened to engulf Erdogan. Three government ministers were forced to resign over the affair which the government described as a Gulen-inspired coup attempt. Since the investigation, the two appear to have been involved in tit-for-tat attacks with social media leaks of alleged recordings of Erdogan and allies exposing corruption within the government, which they denied vehemently. The Erdogan government has purged thousands of officers within the police and army as well as members of the judiciary accused of having links to the preacher. Gulen-linked media organisations were also raided in March including the Zaman newspaper and the Cihan news agency. Authorities then brought in state administrators. Experts say there are Gulenist elements within the army but it is not possible to speculate on what links he could have to the plot. Natalie Martin, lecturer in politics and international relations at Nottingham Trent University, asked: "Is it a Gulenist faction within the military? Possibly, but that seems a little bit too easy," she told AFP. For Skinner, it is unlikely Gulen ordered the coup because of the risk of extradition among other issues, but said supporters within the army could have conducted the putsch on Friday. But he too added: "It is too early to tell." (AFP)

Erdogan and Gulen: Uneasy allies turned bitter foes

The death toll from Turkey&#39;s failed military coup has risen to more than 290, the foreign ministry said in a statement today, adding that more than 1,400 people were wounded.

Of the dead, more than 100 were participants in the coup, the ministry said, adding that there was no doubt the coup had been staged by followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, has denied involvement in the attempt to overthrow the government, condemning it as an affront to democracy. 
 
(Reuters)

1,400 people have been wounded. The coup was 'undoubtedly staged by followers of US-based Muslim cleric Gulen', foreign ministry said

The death toll from Turkey's failed military coup has risen to more than 290, the foreign ministry said in a statement today, adding that more than 1,400 people were wounded. Of the dead, more than 100 were participants in the coup, the ministry said, adding that there was no doubt the coup had been staged by followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, has denied involvement in the attempt to overthrow the government, condemning it as an affront to democracy. (Reuters)

Turkey coup death toll crosses 290

A Turkish military helicopter landed in Greece today carrying eight men seeking asylum after a coup bid, Greek police said.&nbsp; 
 
The Black Hawk helicopter landed after sending a distress signal to authorities at the airport in Alexandroupolis in the country&#39;s north.&nbsp; 
 
Seven of those on board were in military uniform and all are believed to have been involved in the attempted putsch, ERT TV said.&nbsp; 
 
Turkey&#39;s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara had asked Athens to send back the eight coup plotters. 
 
&quot;We have requested Greece to extradite the eight traitors as soon possible,&quot; Cavusoglu was quoted as telling HaberTurk television. 
 
According to an official in the Greek National Defence general staff, &quot;the helicopter is scheduled to be sent back immediately to Turkey&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras expressed his &quot;support for the democratically elected&quot; Turkish government.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu asked Greece to send back the escaped soldiers as quickly as possible

A Turkish military helicopter landed in Greece today carrying eight men seeking asylum after a coup bid, Greek police said. The Black Hawk helicopter landed after sending a distress signal to authorities at the airport in Alexandroupolis in the country's north. Seven of those on board were in military uniform and all are believed to have been involved in the attempted putsch, ERT TV said. Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara had asked Athens to send back the eight coup plotters. "We have requested Greece to extradite the eight traitors as soon possible," Cavusoglu was quoted as telling HaberTurk television. According to an official in the Greek National Defence general staff, "the helicopter is scheduled to be sent back immediately to Turkey". Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras expressed his "support for the democratically elected" Turkish government. (AFP)

Turkish military helicopter lands in Greece, 8 soldiers request asylum

Forces loyal to the Turkish government fought today to crush the remnants of a military coup attempt which crumbled after crowds answered President Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s call to take to the streets and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks. 
 
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 161 were killed in the coup attempt against the government, including many civilians, after a faction of the armed forces tried to seize power using tanks and attack helicopters. 
 
Some strafed the headquarters of Turkish intelligence and Parliament in the capital, Ankara, and others seized a major bridge in Istanbul. 
 
Yildirim, speaking outside his Cankaya palace in Ankara, and flanked by top general Hulusi Akar who was held during the coup attempt, also described the putsch bid as a &quot;black stain&quot; on Turkish democracy. He added that 1,440 people had been wounded.&nbsp; 
 
Erdogan appeared to accuse the coup plotters of trying to kill him and said he would purge the armed forces, which in the past have staged a number of successful coups, even if not for more than 30 years. 
 
&quot;They will pay a heavy price for this,&quot; he said. &quot;This uprising is a gift from God to us because this will be a reason to cleanse our army.&quot; Later, the presidency warned on Twitter that another uprising could be staged at any time. 
 
Turkish authorities have already detained 2,839 soldiers on suspicion of involvement, officials said. The chief of staff, who had been reported held hostage by the rebels, has been rescued, a senior official said. 
 
A successful overthrow of Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would have marked one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming a major US ally while war rages on its border. 
 
However, a failed coup attempt could still destabilise a NATO member that lies between the European Union and the chaos of Syria, with Islamic State bombers targeting Turkish cities and the government also at war with Kurdish separatists. 
 
Erdogan, who had been holidaying on the southwest coast when the coup was launched, flew into Istanbul before dawn today and was shown on TV outside Ataturk airport. 
 
Addressing a crowd of thousands of flag-waving supporters at the airport later, Erdogan said the government remained at the helm, even though disturbances continued in Ankara. 
 
Erdogan, whose Islamist-rooted ideology lies at odds with supporters of modern Turkey&#39;s secular principles, said the plotters had tried to attack him in the resort town of Marmaris. 
 
&quot;They bombed places I had departed right after I was gone,&quot; he said. &quot;They probably thought we were still there.&quot; 
 
In a live statement broadcast on CNN Turk, Umit Dundar, acting armed forces chief of staff said many military commanders have been taken hostage by the rebels but he declared that Turkey has &quot;closed the chapter&quot; on coups for good. 
 
Erdogan&#39;s AK Party, with roots in Islamism, has long had a strained relationship with the military and nationalists. The armed forces have had a history of mounting coups to defend secularism, but have not seized power directly since 1980. 
 
Operations involving police special forces and the military were still underway to regain control of the armed forces headquarters in Ankara, one official said. 
 
Smartphone address 
 
In a night that sometimes verged on the bizarre, Erdogan took to social media even though he is an avowed enemy of the technology when his opponents use it, frequently targeting Twitter and Facebook. 
 
Erdogan addressed the nation via a video calling service, appearing on the smartphone of a CNN Turk reporter who held it up to a studio camera so viewers to the network could see him. 
 
Erdogan said the coup attempt had been encouraged by the &quot;parallel structure&quot;. This is his shorthand for followers of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric whom he has repeatedly accused of trying to foment an uprising in the military, media and judiciary. 
 
Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, once supported Erdogan, but became a nemesis. The pro-Gulen Alliance for Shared Values said it condemned any military intervention in domestic politics. 
 
The pro-coup faction said in an emailed statement from the Turkish military general staff&#39;s media office address that it was determinedly still fighting. 
 
Gunfire and explosions had rocked both Istanbul and Ankara through the night after soldiers took up positions in both cities and ordered state television to read out a statement declaring they had taken power. However, by dawn the noise of fighting had died down considerably. 
 
About 50 soldiers involved in the coup surrendered on one of the bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul after dawn today, abandoning their tanks with their hands raised in the air. Reuters witnesses saw government supporters attack the pro-coup soldiers who had surrendered. 
 
Earlier, around 30 pro-coup soldiers had surrendered their weapons after being surrounded by armed police in Istanbul&#39;s central Taksim square. 
 
They were taken away in police vans as a fighter jet repeatedly screeched overhead at low altitude, causing a boom that shook surrounding buildings and shattered windows. 
 
Lawmakers in hiding 
 
The coup began with warplanes and helicopters roaring over Ankara and troops moving in to seal off the bridges over the Bosphorus Strait that links Europe and Asia in Istanbul. 
 
Authorities had shut the strait to tanker traffic, shipping agent GAC said. 
 
In the early hours, lawmakers were hiding in shelters inside the parliament building, which was being fired on by tanks. Smoke rose up from nearby, Reuters witnesses said. An opposition MP told Reuters,the Parliament was hit three times and that people had been wounded. 
 
A senior Turkish official said later today attacks on the Parliament had &quot;largely stopped&quot;. 
 
A Turkish military commander also said fighter jets had shot down a helicopter used by the coup plotters over Ankara. State-run Anadolu news agency said 17 police were killed at special forces headquarters there. 
 
Momentum turned against the coup plotters as the night wore on. Crowds defied orders to stay indoors, gathering at major squares in Istanbul and Ankara, waving flags and chanting. 
 
&quot;We have a prime minister, we have a chief of command, we&#39;re not going to leave this country to degenerates,&quot; shouted one man, as groups of government supporters climbed onto a tank near Ataturk airport. 
 
US secretary of state John Kerry said he phoned the Turkish foreign minister and underlined &quot;absolute support for Turkey&#39;s democratically elected, civilian government and democratic institutions&quot;. 
 
European Council president Donald Tusk called for a swift return to Turkey&#39;s constitutional order, saying tensions there could not be resolved by guns. 
 
Flights resume&nbsp; 
 
Flag carrier Turkish Airways resumed flights today, Erdogan said. Malaysia Airports, the operator of Sabiha Gokcen International airport, Istanbul&#39;s second airport, said it would continue to process flights in and out of Turkey. 
 
Soldiers took control of Turkish Radio and Television coperation (TRT) state television, which announced a countrywide curfew and martial law. An announcer read a statement on the orders of the pro-coup faction that accused the government of eroding the democratic and secular rule of law. Turkey would be run by a &quot;peace council&quot; that would ensure the safety of the population, the statement said. 
 
TRT went off the air shortly afterwards. It resumed broadcasting early morning today. 
 
Turkey is one of the main backers of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country&#39;s civil war, host to 2.7 million Syrian refugees and launchpad last year for the biggest influx of migrants to Europe since World War II. 
 
Turkey has suffered numerous bombings and shootings this year, including an attack two weeks ago by Islamists at Ataturk airport that killed more than 40 people, as well as those staged by Kurdish militants. 
 
After serving as prime minister from 2003, Erdogan was elected President in 2014 with plans to alter the constitution to give the previously ceremonial presidency far greater executive powers. 
 
Turkey has enjoyed an economic boom during his time in office and has dramatically expanded its influence across the region. However, opponents say his rule has become increasingly authoritaries. 
 
(Agencies)

President Erdogan tweeted that the uprising is a gift from God, giving him an opportunity to cleanse the army

Forces loyal to the Turkish government fought today to crush the remnants of a military coup attempt which crumbled after crowds answered President Tayyip Erdogan's call to take to the streets and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 161 were killed in the coup attempt against the government, including many civilians, after a faction of the armed forces tried to seize power using tanks and attack helicopters. Some strafed the headquarters of Turkish intelligence and Parliament in the capital, Ankara, and others seized a major bridge in Istanbul. Yildirim, speaking outside his Cankaya palace in Ankara, and flanked by top general Hulusi Akar who was held during the coup attempt, also described the putsch bid as a "black stain" on Turkish democracy. He added that 1,440 people had been wounded. Erdogan appeared to accuse the coup plotters of trying to kill him and said he would purge the armed forces, which in the past have staged a number of successful coups, even if not for more than 30 years. "They will pay a heavy price for this," he said. "This uprising is a gift from God to us because this will be a reason to cleanse our army." Later, the presidency warned on Twitter that another uprising could be staged at any time. Turkish authorities have already detained 2,839 soldiers on suspicion of involvement, officials said. The chief of staff, who had been reported held hostage by the rebels, has been rescued, a senior official said. A successful overthrow of Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would have marked one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming a major US ally while war rages on its border. However, a failed coup attempt could still destabilise a NATO member that lies between the European Union and the chaos of Syria, with Islamic State bombers targeting Turkish cities and the government also at war with Kurdish separatists. Erdogan, who had been holidaying on the southwest coast when the coup was launched, flew into Istanbul before dawn today and was shown on TV outside Ataturk airport. Addressing a crowd of thousands of flag-waving supporters at the airport later, Erdogan said the government remained at the helm, even though disturbances continued in Ankara. Erdogan, whose Islamist-rooted ideology lies at odds with supporters of modern Turkey's secular principles, said the plotters had tried to attack him in the resort town of Marmaris. "They bombed places I had departed right after I was gone," he said. "They probably thought we were still there." In a live statement broadcast on CNN Turk, Umit Dundar, acting armed forces chief of staff said many military commanders have been taken hostage by the rebels but he declared that Turkey has "closed the chapter" on coups for good. Erdogan's AK Party, with roots in Islamism, has long had a strained relationship with the military and nationalists. The armed forces have had a history of mounting coups to defend secularism, but have not seized power directly since 1980. Operations involving police special forces and the military were still underway to regain control of the armed forces headquarters in Ankara, one official said. Smartphone address In a night that sometimes verged on the bizarre, Erdogan took to social media even though he is an avowed enemy of the technology when his opponents use it, frequently targeting Twitter and Facebook. Erdogan addressed the nation via a video calling service, appearing on the smartphone of a CNN Turk reporter who held it up to a studio camera so viewers to the network could see him. Erdogan said the coup attempt had been encouraged by the "parallel structure". This is his shorthand for followers of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric whom he has repeatedly accused of trying to foment an uprising in the military, media and judiciary. Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, once supported Erdogan, but became a nemesis. The pro-Gulen Alliance for Shared Values said it condemned any military intervention in domestic politics. The pro-coup faction said in an emailed statement from the Turkish military general staff's media office address that it was determinedly still fighting. Gunfire and explosions had rocked both Istanbul and Ankara through the night after soldiers took up positions in both cities and ordered state television to read out a statement declaring they had taken power. However, by dawn the noise of fighting had died down considerably. About 50 soldiers involved in the coup surrendered on one of the bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul after dawn today, abandoning their tanks with their hands raised in the air. Reuters witnesses saw government supporters attack the pro-coup soldiers who had surrendered. Earlier, around 30 pro-coup soldiers had surrendered their weapons after being surrounded by armed police in Istanbul's central Taksim square. They were taken away in police vans as a fighter jet repeatedly screeched overhead at low altitude, causing a boom that shook surrounding buildings and shattered windows. Lawmakers in hiding The coup began with warplanes and helicopters roaring over Ankara and troops moving in to seal off the bridges over the Bosphorus Strait that links Europe and Asia in Istanbul. Authorities had shut the strait to tanker traffic, shipping agent GAC said. In the early hours, lawmakers were hiding in shelters inside the parliament building, which was being fired on by tanks. Smoke rose up from nearby, Reuters witnesses said. An opposition MP told Reuters,the Parliament was hit three times and that people had been wounded. A senior Turkish official said later today attacks on the Parliament had "largely stopped". A Turkish military commander also said fighter jets had shot down a helicopter used by the coup plotters over Ankara. State-run Anadolu news agency said 17 police were killed at special forces headquarters there. Momentum turned against the coup plotters as the night wore on. Crowds defied orders to stay indoors, gathering at major squares in Istanbul and Ankara, waving flags and chanting. "We have a prime minister, we have a chief of command, we're not going to leave this country to degenerates," shouted one man, as groups of government supporters climbed onto a tank near Ataturk airport. US secretary of state John Kerry said he phoned the Turkish foreign minister and underlined "absolute support for Turkey's democratically elected, civilian government and democratic institutions". European Council president Donald Tusk called for a swift return to Turkey's constitutional order, saying tensions there could not be resolved by guns. Flights resume Flag carrier Turkish Airways resumed flights today, Erdogan said. Malaysia Airports, the operator of Sabiha Gokcen International airport, Istanbul's second airport, said it would continue to process flights in and out of Turkey. Soldiers took control of Turkish Radio and Television coperation (TRT) state television, which announced a countrywide curfew and martial law. An announcer read a statement on the orders of the pro-coup faction that accused the government of eroding the democratic and secular rule of law. Turkey would be run by a "peace council" that would ensure the safety of the population, the statement said. TRT went off the air shortly afterwards. It resumed broadcasting early morning today. Turkey is one of the main backers of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country's civil war, host to 2.7 million Syrian refugees and launchpad last year for the biggest influx of migrants to Europe since World War II. Turkey has suffered numerous bombings and shootings this year, including an attack two weeks ago by Islamists at Ataturk airport that killed more than 40 people, as well as those staged by Kurdish militants. After serving as prime minister from 2003, Erdogan was elected President in 2014 with plans to alter the constitution to give the previously ceremonial presidency far greater executive powers. Turkey has enjoyed an economic boom during his time in office and has dramatically expanded its influence across the region. However, opponents say his rule has become increasingly authoritaries. (Agencies)

Turkey PM says 161 killed, 1,140 wounded while 2,839 soldiers arrested for failed coup attempt

Turkey failed coup attempt: PM says 161 killed, 1,140 wounded, 2,839 soldiers arrested

EU chiefs Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker today backed Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s government and urged a &quot;swift return&quot; to normal after a coup attempt. 
 
&quot;The tensions in and challenges for Turkey cannot be solved with guns,&quot; EU president Tusk told reporters during an Asia-Europe summit in Mongolia. 
 
&quot;Military coups have no place in modern Turkey. There is no alternative to democracy and the rule of law,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
 
Erdogan&#39;s authoritarian rule drew flak from EU&nbsp; 
 
The comments followed a joint statement by Tusk, European Commission head Juncker, and EU foreign policy head Federica Mogherini calling for &quot;a swift return to Turkey&#39;s constitutional order.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Turkey is a key partner for the European Union. The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law,&quot; it added. 
 
EU representatives at the gathering met earlier in the day to discuss the unfolding situation. 
 
Brussels will be watching with deep concern as events progress in Turkey, a key partner on its southeastern flank which has been trying to join the EU for many years without success. 
 
Turkey is also a crucial partner for the EU because of the controversial deal they signed in March to tackle the migration crisis. 
 
Under the deal, Ankara agreed to take back migrants and refugees from the Greek islands and to stop people crossing the Aegean Sea. In return it is to get aid and visa-free travel for 80 million Turks to the EU. 
 
The bloc overcame its aversion to Erdogan&#39;s increasingly authoritarian rule, which has received sharp criticism from the EU, to sign the deal. 
 
Tusk said it was &quot;too early to speculate&quot; on the potential consequences of the coup attempt. 
 
&quot;The key question will be what kind of Turkey comes out from this crisis,&quot; he said, adding that how the country deals with the consequences &quot;will be crucial not only for Turkey but the whole region and of course EU-Turkey relations.&quot; 
 
&quot;Our hope and intention is of course to keep Turkey as a key partner,&quot; he said. 
 
NATO and US President Barack Obama have also backed the country&#39;s democratic institutions following the coup attempt. 
 
Turkey will now likely dominate an EU foreign minister&#39;s meeting on Monday which will also be attended by US secretary of state John Kerry. 
 
(AFP)

'Military coups have no place in modern Turkey. There is no alternative to democracy and the rule of law'

EU chiefs Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker today backed Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's government and urged a "swift return" to normal after a coup attempt. "The tensions in and challenges for Turkey cannot be solved with guns," EU president Tusk told reporters during an Asia-Europe summit in Mongolia. "Military coups have no place in modern Turkey. There is no alternative to democracy and the rule of law," he said. Erdogan's authoritarian rule drew flak from EU The comments followed a joint statement by Tusk, European Commission head Juncker, and EU foreign policy head Federica Mogherini calling for "a swift return to Turkey's constitutional order." "Turkey is a key partner for the European Union. The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law," it added. EU representatives at the gathering met earlier in the day to discuss the unfolding situation. Brussels will be watching with deep concern as events progress in Turkey, a key partner on its southeastern flank which has been trying to join the EU for many years without success. Turkey is also a crucial partner for the EU because of the controversial deal they signed in March to tackle the migration crisis. Under the deal, Ankara agreed to take back migrants and refugees from the Greek islands and to stop people crossing the Aegean Sea. In return it is to get aid and visa-free travel for 80 million Turks to the EU. The bloc overcame its aversion to Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule, which has received sharp criticism from the EU, to sign the deal. Tusk said it was "too early to speculate" on the potential consequences of the coup attempt. "The key question will be what kind of Turkey comes out from this crisis," he said, adding that how the country deals with the consequences "will be crucial not only for Turkey but the whole region and of course EU-Turkey relations." "Our hope and intention is of course to keep Turkey as a key partner," he said. NATO and US President Barack Obama have also backed the country's democratic institutions following the coup attempt. Turkey will now likely dominate an EU foreign minister's meeting on Monday which will also be attended by US secretary of state John Kerry. (AFP)

Challenges in Turkey can't be resolved with guns: EU president on attempted coup

US&nbsp;secretary of state John Kerry said on Saturday&nbsp;the United States had not received any request to extradite Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, but was willing to assist in legitimate efforts to deal with plotters of Turkey&#39;s attempted coup.

The Turkish government said followers of Gulen, who has been living in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, were behind the attempted coup by a faction of the military on Friday.

Speaking during a trip to Luxembourg, Kerry said the US&nbsp;stands with the government of Turkey.

&quot;I talked directly with my foreign minister counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu last night at the time where things were still uncertain as to what was happening and expressed my confidence in him and the government and our readiness to be supportive,&quot; said Kerry.

Asked if the United States had received an extradition request, he said,&nbsp;&quot;No, we haven&#39;t received any request with respect to Mr Gulen. We fully anticipate that there will be questions raised about Mr Gulen, and obviously we invite the government of Turkey&nbsp;to present us with any legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny and the United States will accept that and look at it and make judgments appropriately and I am confident there will be some discussion about that.&quot;

Gulen denied playing any role in the attempted coup, which he condemned in a written statement.

Kerry said the United States understood that in Turkey &quot;things are now calm and order is being restored.&quot;

He said all US&nbsp;embassy personnel had been accounted for and the United States was working to determine that all of US&nbsp;citizens were taken care of and protected.

Kerry reiterated US&nbsp;support for the elected government.

&quot;The United States, without hesitation, squarely and unequivocally stands for democratic leadership, for the respect for a democratic elected leader, and for a constitutional process,&quot; he said.

He said that, as things stood, Turkey&#39;s cooperation in counter- terrorism efforts, in NATO, on Syria and in countering Islamic State had not been impaired.

A successful overthrow of Erdogan would have marked one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming a major US&nbsp;ally while war rages on its border.

A failed coup could still destabilise a NATO member that lies between the European Union and the chaos of Syria, with Islamic State bombers targeting Turkish cities and the government also at war with Kurdish separatists. 
 
(Reuters)

It, however, is willing to assist in legitimate efforts to deal with Gulen who has been living in self-imposed exile in the US for years

US secretary of state John Kerry said on Saturday the United States had not received any request to extradite Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, but was willing to assist in legitimate efforts to deal with plotters of Turkey's attempted coup. The Turkish government said followers of Gulen, who has been living in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, were behind the attempted coup by a faction of the military on Friday. Speaking during a trip to Luxembourg, Kerry said the US stands with the government of Turkey. "I talked directly with my foreign minister counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu last night at the time where things were still uncertain as to what was happening and expressed my confidence in him and the government and our readiness to be supportive," said Kerry. Asked if the United States had received an extradition request, he said, "No, we haven't received any request with respect to Mr Gulen. We fully anticipate that there will be questions raised about Mr Gulen, and obviously we invite the government of Turkey to present us with any legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny and the United States will accept that and look at it and make judgments appropriately and I am confident there will be some discussion about that." Gulen denied playing any role in the attempted coup, which he condemned in a written statement. Kerry said the United States understood that in Turkey "things are now calm and order is being restored." He said all US embassy personnel had been accounted for and the United States was working to determine that all of US citizens were taken care of and protected. Kerry reiterated US support for the elected government. "The United States, without hesitation, squarely and unequivocally stands for democratic leadership, for the respect for a democratic elected leader, and for a constitutional process," he said. He said that, as things stood, Turkey's cooperation in counter- terrorism efforts, in NATO, on Syria and in countering Islamic State had not been impaired. A successful overthrow of Erdogan would have marked one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming a major US ally while war rages on its border. A failed coup could still destabilise a NATO member that lies between the European Union and the chaos of Syria, with Islamic State bombers targeting Turkish cities and the government also at war with Kurdish separatists. (Reuters)

US has not received 'plotter' Fethullah Gulen's extradition request from Turkey, says John Kerry

Turkish authorities today imposed a security lockdown at the Incirlik air base in the southern province of Adana used by US and other coalition forces in the fight against jihadists in Syria, the US consulate said. 
 
&quot;Local authorities are denying movements on to and off of Incirlik Air Base. The power there has also been cut,&quot; the US consulate in Adana said in a message after an coup attempt aimed at toppling the government was thwarted by the authorities. 
 
&quot;Please avoid the air base until normal operations have been restored,&quot; it added, without giving further details. 
 
There was no indication for the reason of the lockdown by the Turkish authorities. But it came as security forces arrested thousands of Turkish soldiers across the country for involvement in the coup. 
 
After months of negotiations, Turkey last year agreed to allow the United States to use Incirlik to carry out lethal raids against jihadists in Syria and it has since become a key hub. 
 
(AFP)

No reason was given for the lockdown but it came as security forces arrested thousands of soldiers for their involvement in the coup

Turkish authorities today imposed a security lockdown at the Incirlik air base in the southern province of Adana used by US and other coalition forces in the fight against jihadists in Syria, the US consulate said. "Local authorities are denying movements on to and off of Incirlik Air Base. The power there has also been cut," the US consulate in Adana said in a message after an coup attempt aimed at toppling the government was thwarted by the authorities. "Please avoid the air base until normal operations have been restored," it added, without giving further details. There was no indication for the reason of the lockdown by the Turkish authorities. But it came as security forces arrested thousands of Turkish soldiers across the country for involvement in the coup. After months of negotiations, Turkey last year agreed to allow the United States to use Incirlik to carry out lethal raids against jihadists in Syria and it has since become a key hub. (AFP)

Turkey authorities impose lockdown at Incirlik air base: US consulate

Turkish Airlines resumed flights from Istanbul&#39;s international airport today following a failed coup attempt while some foreign carriers cancelled weekend flights. 
 
Forces loyal to Turkey&#39;s government fought today to crush the last remnants of a military coup attempt. Television images late Friday had shown tanks parked in front of the airport. 
 
A spokesman for Turkish Airlines said flights had now returned to their normal schedule from Europe&#39;s third largest hub, though delays were to be expected. 
 
Turkish budget carrier Pegasus said its flights were also experiencing minor delays. 
 
The closure of Istanbul&#39;s Ataturk airport late on Friday had caused the diversion of 35 airplanes and cancelled 32 flights, Turkish Airlines chairman Ilker Ayci told broadcaster CNN Turk. 
 
Lebanon&#39;s Middle East Airlines said it would resume twice daily flights to Ataturk from Sunday. 
 
British Airways said in a statement it was halting all flights to Turkey on Saturday and one on Sunday as a precaution. 
 
&quot;The safety and security of our customers and crew are always our top priority and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.&quot; 
 
More than 2,500,000 British nationals visit Turkey every year according to the foreign and commonwealth office. 
 
EasyJet said its advice from British authorities was to continue flying, but it was monitoring developments. 
 
The attempted coup follows a series of bombings that hit Turkey this year, including a suicide attack in June that killed 45 people at Istanbul&#39;s main airport. They have weighed on international travel to the country. 
 
The number of foreign visitors to Turkey fell by 28 per cent in April, data showed on Friday, the biggest drop in 17 years. 
 
The decline signals more pain for Turkey&#39;s economy, which is smarting from slowing exports and weak investment. Some economists have forecast that tourism revenue will drop by a quarter this year, costing around $8 billion. 
 
German airline Lufthansa cancelled all its flights to Istanbul and Ankara today and pared back the number flights to holiday destinations Bodrum and Antalya. 
 
TUI travel and tourism company which owns the Thomson and First Choice holiday companies, said its flights to Dalaman, Antalya and Izmir were operating as normal. 
 
Tour operator Thomas Cook said most German guests who had booked a holiday to Antalya or Bodrum had taken their flights today. It said flights from the UK were operating as normal but, given the circumstances, free cancellations or amendments were possible for customers due to fly to Turkey this weekend. 
 
Russia also suspended passenger flights to the country on the orders of President Vladimir Putin, TASS news agency said. 
 
Turkish and Russian officials had met this week to discuss the restarting of charter flights between the two countries and tourism security after relations soured following Turkey&#39;s downing of a Russian jet last year. 
 
State airline EgyptAir also cancelled all flights today to Istanbul, the company said in a statement. The company, which has 14 flights to Istanbul per week, did not say when they were expected to resume. 
 
All flights from Istanbul to Sofia for today had been cancelled, according to Sofia airport&#39;s website. 
 
(Reuters)

Turkish Airlines resumed schedule, but said flights will be delayed while some foreign carriers cancelled weekend flights

Turkish Airlines resumed flights from Istanbul's international airport today following a failed coup attempt while some foreign carriers cancelled weekend flights. Forces loyal to Turkey's government fought today to crush the last remnants of a military coup attempt. Television images late Friday had shown tanks parked in front of the airport. A spokesman for Turkish Airlines said flights had now returned to their normal schedule from Europe's third largest hub, though delays were to be expected. Turkish budget carrier Pegasus said its flights were also experiencing minor delays. The closure of Istanbul's Ataturk airport late on Friday had caused the diversion of 35 airplanes and cancelled 32 flights, Turkish Airlines chairman Ilker Ayci told broadcaster CNN Turk. Lebanon's Middle East Airlines said it would resume twice daily flights to Ataturk from Sunday. British Airways said in a statement it was halting all flights to Turkey on Saturday and one on Sunday as a precaution. "The safety and security of our customers and crew are always our top priority and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so." More than 2,500,000 British nationals visit Turkey every year according to the foreign and commonwealth office. EasyJet said its advice from British authorities was to continue flying, but it was monitoring developments. The attempted coup follows a series of bombings that hit Turkey this year, including a suicide attack in June that killed 45 people at Istanbul's main airport. They have weighed on international travel to the country. The number of foreign visitors to Turkey fell by 28 per cent in April, data showed on Friday, the biggest drop in 17 years. The decline signals more pain for Turkey's economy, which is smarting from slowing exports and weak investment. Some economists have forecast that tourism revenue will drop by a quarter this year, costing around $8 billion. German airline Lufthansa cancelled all its flights to Istanbul and Ankara today and pared back the number flights to holiday destinations Bodrum and Antalya. TUI travel and tourism company which owns the Thomson and First Choice holiday companies, said its flights to Dalaman, Antalya and Izmir were operating as normal. Tour operator Thomas Cook said most German guests who had booked a holiday to Antalya or Bodrum had taken their flights today. It said flights from the UK were operating as normal but, given the circumstances, free cancellations or amendments were possible for customers due to fly to Turkey this weekend. Russia also suspended passenger flights to the country on the orders of President Vladimir Putin, TASS news agency said. Turkish and Russian officials had met this week to discuss the restarting of charter flights between the two countries and tourism security after relations soured following Turkey's downing of a Russian jet last year. State airline EgyptAir also cancelled all flights today to Istanbul, the company said in a statement. The company, which has 14 flights to Istanbul per week, did not say when they were expected to resume. All flights from Istanbul to Sofia for today had been cancelled, according to Sofia airport's website. (Reuters)

Istanbul's airport reopens, flights resume after coup attempt

US President Barack Obama today convened a situation room meeting with his top national security advisers to discuss the aftermath of the failed coup in Turkey, the White House said today. 
 
&quot;The President will convene a meeting with his national security and broader foreign policy team to update him on the situation in Turkey,&quot; the White House said in a brief update of Obama&#39;s daily schedule. 
 
The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has survived the coup but the situation remains tense as the violence has killed over 250 people (according to PTI). The Turkish government, however, has put the toll at 161.&nbsp; 
 
During the coup, Obama offered support for Turkey&#39;s &quot;democratically elected government&quot; and urged all sides to &quot;avoid any violence or bloodshed.&quot; 
 
But there were rising concerns of a government crackdown on Erdogan&#39;s opponents. 
 
Even before the violent coup attempt, Obama had expressed concern over Erdogan&#39;s handling of the media and the rule of law. 
 
(PTI)

Obama offered support for Turkey's 'democratically elected government' and urged all sides to 'avoid any violence or bloodshed'

US President Barack Obama today convened a situation room meeting with his top national security advisers to discuss the aftermath of the failed coup in Turkey, the White House said today. "The President will convene a meeting with his national security and broader foreign policy team to update him on the situation in Turkey," the White House said in a brief update of Obama's daily schedule. The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has survived the coup but the situation remains tense as the violence has killed over 250 people (according to PTI). The Turkish government, however, has put the toll at 161. During the coup, Obama offered support for Turkey's "democratically elected government" and urged all sides to "avoid any violence or bloodshed." But there were rising concerns of a government crackdown on Erdogan's opponents. Even before the violent coup attempt, Obama had expressed concern over Erdogan's handling of the media and the rule of law. (PTI)

US President Obama convenes national security meeting amid Turkey unrest

A girl from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu who has gone to Turkey to participate in the world school games meet there has sent a Whatsapp video stating that all of them are safe and sought government help to ensure that the entire contingent comes back without any harm. 
 
&quot;We are safe here. There is no problem here in Trabzon (northeastern Turkey),&quot; Tamizhselvi, one of more than 10 athletes from Tamil Nadu in the contingent said in a Whatsapp video. 
 
They are part of a larger contingent of 148 Indian athletes participating in the World School Games amid a failed military coup in that country that claimed more than 250 lives as per news wires. Turkish government figures still stood at 161 at the time this report was filed. 
 
She said they came to know of the coup attempt only after a parent who had watched the news on TV called them on phone this morning. 
 
Tamizhselvi said the athletes had no idea if the rest of the games would be held as scheduled and said that as per their itinerary, they were scheduled to start back home from Trabzon on July 18 and reach Istanbul via Ankara. 
 
Since these cities had seen violence over the attempted coup, she urged the Centre should take steps to ensure that the athletes reached home safe. 
 
Her father Venkatesan too appealed to the government to ensure the safety of the children. 
 
India&#39;s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had tweeted that &quot;there are 148 Indian children and 38 officials in Trapzon #Turkey. They are all safe. The games are on. They will start returning in batches from 18th July.&quot; 
 
Earlier in the day, union sports minister Vijay Goel said that all the Indian athletes participating in the World School Games at Trabzon in Turkey are safe.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

148 Indian athletes are participating in the World School Games in Trabzon in northeastern Turkey

A girl from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu who has gone to Turkey to participate in the world school games meet there has sent a Whatsapp video stating that all of them are safe and sought government help to ensure that the entire contingent comes back without any harm. "We are safe here. There is no problem here in Trabzon (northeastern Turkey)," Tamizhselvi, one of more than 10 athletes from Tamil Nadu in the contingent said in a Whatsapp video. They are part of a larger contingent of 148 Indian athletes participating in the World School Games amid a failed military coup in that country that claimed more than 250 lives as per news wires. Turkish government figures still stood at 161 at the time this report was filed. She said they came to know of the coup attempt only after a parent who had watched the news on TV called them on phone this morning. Tamizhselvi said the athletes had no idea if the rest of the games would be held as scheduled and said that as per their itinerary, they were scheduled to start back home from Trabzon on July 18 and reach Istanbul via Ankara. Since these cities had seen violence over the attempted coup, she urged the Centre should take steps to ensure that the athletes reached home safe. Her father Venkatesan too appealed to the government to ensure the safety of the children. India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had tweeted that "there are 148 Indian children and 38 officials in Trapzon #Turkey. They are all safe. The games are on. They will start returning in batches from 18th July." Earlier in the day, union sports minister Vijay Goel said that all the Indian athletes participating in the World School Games at Trabzon in Turkey are safe. (PTI)

Tamil Nadu athlete posts Whatsapp video, says all safe in Turkey

US secretary of state John Kerry said today that Washington had had no idea that a coup attempt was brewing in NATO ally Turkey before Friday&#39;s bloody events. 
 
But he added that the failed &#39;putsch&#39; had apparently been incompetently executed, and restated Washington&#39;s support for President Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s elected government. 
 
&quot;If you&#39;re planning a coup you don&#39;t exactly advertise it to your partners in NATO,&quot; Kerry told reporters who asked how US intelligence could have been surprised by events. 
 
&quot;It surprised everybody, including the people in Turkey,&quot; the top US diplomat added, speaking in Luxembourg during a diplomatic tour of European capitals.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I must say, it does not appear to have been a very brilliantly planned or executed event, but let&#39;s reserve all judgment until the facts are in,&quot; he asserted.&nbsp; 
 
The United States and Turkey are close military allies within NATO and US war planes targeting the Islamic State group fly out of the major Incirlik air base. 
 
(AFP)

If you're planning coup, you don't advertise it to your partners in NATO: John Kerry said when asked how US intelligence missed this

US secretary of state John Kerry said today that Washington had had no idea that a coup attempt was brewing in NATO ally Turkey before Friday's bloody events. But he added that the failed 'putsch' had apparently been incompetently executed, and restated Washington's support for President Tayyip Erdogan's elected government. "If you're planning a coup you don't exactly advertise it to your partners in NATO," Kerry told reporters who asked how US intelligence could have been surprised by events. "It surprised everybody, including the people in Turkey," the top US diplomat added, speaking in Luxembourg during a diplomatic tour of European capitals. "I must say, it does not appear to have been a very brilliantly planned or executed event, but let's reserve all judgment until the facts are in," he asserted. The United States and Turkey are close military allies within NATO and US war planes targeting the Islamic State group fly out of the major Incirlik air base. (AFP)

No one saw Turkey coup bid coming: US envoy

US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen today denied accusations he played a role in the attempted coup in Turkey and said he condemned &quot;in the strongest terms&quot; the attempt to topple the government. 
 
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the government have said that Gulen&#39;s followers in the military were responsible for the attempted take-over on Friday night and today morning. 
 
The government accuses Gulen of trying to create a &quot;parallel structure&quot; in the police, judiciary, media and armed forces, aimed at taking over the state, a charge the cleric denies. 
 
&quot;I condemn, in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey,&quot; Gulen said in a statement. 
 
&quot;As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations.&quot; 
 
The cleric has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States for years. 
 
US invites Turkey&nbsp; 
 
Secretary of state John Kerry said today that the United States will assist Turkey in the investigation of a failed coup and invited Ankara to share any evidence it has against Fethullah Gulen. 
 
Speaking in Luxembourg, Kerry said Washington had not yet received a formal extradition bid for the expatriate cleric, but added: &quot;We fully anticipate that there will be questions raised about Mr Gulen.&quot; 
 
Kerry who spoke late Friday to his Turkish opposite number Mevlut Cavusoglu by telephone, said: &quot;We haven&#39;t received any request with respect to Mr Gulen. 
 
&quot;And obviously we invited the government of Turkey as we always do to present us with any legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny and the United States will accept that and look at it and make judgments about it appropriately. 
 
And, standing alongside Luxembourg&#39;s foreign minister Jean Asselborn outside the country&#39;s foreign ministry, he added: &quot;I&#39;m confident that there will be some discussion about that.&quot; 
 
(Agencies)

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the government said that Gulen's followers in the military were responsible for the attempted take-over

US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen today denied accusations he played a role in the attempted coup in Turkey and said he condemned "in the strongest terms" the attempt to topple the government. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the government have said that Gulen's followers in the military were responsible for the attempted take-over on Friday night and today morning. The government accuses Gulen of trying to create a "parallel structure" in the police, judiciary, media and armed forces, aimed at taking over the state, a charge the cleric denies. "I condemn, in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey," Gulen said in a statement. "As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations." The cleric has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States for years. US invites Turkey Secretary of state John Kerry said today that the United States will assist Turkey in the investigation of a failed coup and invited Ankara to share any evidence it has against Fethullah Gulen. Speaking in Luxembourg, Kerry said Washington had not yet received a formal extradition bid for the expatriate cleric, but added: "We fully anticipate that there will be questions raised about Mr Gulen." Kerry who spoke late Friday to his Turkish opposite number Mevlut Cavusoglu by telephone, said: "We haven't received any request with respect to Mr Gulen. "And obviously we invited the government of Turkey as we always do to present us with any legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny and the United States will accept that and look at it and make judgments about it appropriately. And, standing alongside Luxembourg's foreign minister Jean Asselborn outside the country's foreign ministry, he added: "I'm confident that there will be some discussion about that." (Agencies)

US-based cleric Gulen denies Turkey coup charges

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