Chaos in Turkey as military launches coup

• The attempted coup has failed
• 2,800 soldiers arrested, 104 ‘coup plotters’ killed
• 2,745 judges across the country dismissed
• Eight Turkish soldiers involved in coup seeking asylum in Greece
• Travel advice for Australians

At least 2,800 military officers have been detained throughout Turkey, the state-run news agency Anadolu reports.

The latest death toll stands at 265, including 161 civilians and police. The rest are “coup plotters”, officials say.

A further 1154 were reported wounded in the bloody uprising.

According to one military official, more than 100 “coup plotters” have been killed.

“The coup attempt has been foiled,” acting army chief General Umit Dundar said.

Dundar said the coup attempt “was rejected by chain of command immediately” and 104 men responsible have since been killed.

The Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim addressed the media on Saturday calling the attempted coup a black stain on Turkish democracy and labelling those responsible as terrorists.

Turkey’s state-run news agency says a top body overseeing judges and prosecutors has dismissed 2,745 judges across the country. Anadolu Agency says the emergency meeting of the Judges and Prosecutors High Council was held Saturday, hours after Turkish forces quashed the military uprising.

The report said the meeting was called to discuss disciplinary measures against members suspected of links to the movement led by the US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. The government says the attempted coup was carried out by a clique within the military loyal to Gulen’s movement.
A Blackhawk helicopter carrying eight Turkish military personnel landed in the Greek city of Alexandroupolis earlier Saturday, as passengers on board involved in the coup asked for asylum.
The Greek government says a Turkish Blackhawk helicopter will be returned to Turkey “as soon as possible” but it will examine the asylum demand made by eight military personnel who were arrested after landing Saturday.
Spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili says: “The government is in contact with the Turkish authorities for...the return of the military helicopter as soon as possible.” As for the eight military passengers, “we will follow the procedures of international law. However, we give very serious considerations to the fact that (the Turkish military men) are accused, in their country, of violating the constitutional order and trying to overthrow democracy,” she added.
 

The soldiers attempted to overthrow the government late on Friday using tanks and helicopters and blocking bridges and taking over some media outlets.

A government official said most of those arrested were lower ranked soldiers, adding that special forces were securing the chief of staff headquarters.

Earlier the news agency reported that military chief of staff Gen. Hulusi Akar was rescued in an operation launched at an air base in the outskirts of Ankara. It said the general was being taken to a safe location.

Broadcaster CNN-Turk said that Akar was taken hostage at military headquarters in Ankara and transported by helicopter to Akincilar Air Base.

WARNING: Graphic images below
 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government is in charge of the country and acknowledged “my people” fought against a coup attempt and took the tanks back.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said security forces have defeated coup plotters in several places, including police and government buildings, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Mr Erdogan appeared at the airport in Istanbul following a night of chaos and violence in Turkey.

As the uprising was squashed, images of soldiers being whipped and beaten began to circulate.

Streets in Ankara and Istanbul were transformed into warzones as dozens of tanks were seen, some ramming through vehicles, explosions were heard and soldiers opened fire on protesters supporting Mr Erdogan in the streets.

Reporters at CNN Turk were forced off the air at gunpoint by soldiers, although they have now returned.

Anadolu said that at the Etimesgut armored units training command, in the outskirts of Ankara, some soldiers who took part in the coup attempt were arrested by fellow officers or soldiers and handed over to police.

Government officials said the coup appeared to have failed as Turks took to the streets overnight to confront troops attempting to take over the country.

However, around the same time Mr Erdogan made his speech, jets bombed near Turkey’s presidential palace in Ankara early Saturday. Plumes of black smoke were seen rising over the Bestepe district where the palace was located, NTV television reported.

It followed an earlier bombing of the Turkey parliament.

CNN-Turk quoted Prime Minister Binali Yildirim as saying that commander of Turkey’s 1st Army, Gen. Umit Dundar, had been appointed acting chief of military staff.

COUP ATTEMPT AN ACT OF ‘TREASON’

Addressing thousands of flag-waving supporters outside Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport on Saturday morning, Erdogan told a crowd assembled there: “They have pointed the people’s guns against the people. The president, whom 52 percent of the people brought to power, is in charge.

“This government brought to power by the people, is in charge. They won’t succeed as long as we stand against them by risking everything.”

He said his people had taken the tanks back.

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported a military helicopter used by coup plotters was shot down.

The helicopter, which was reportedly used to attack satellite station Turksat, was brought down in the Golbasi district, on the outskirts of Ankara.

Dozens of soldiers in Istanbul were also pictured on CNN-Turk with their hands up, appearing to give themselves up to government forces on Bosporus Bridge.

In an earlier appearance Mr Erdogan blasted the coup attempt as “treason” after a night of violence.

Mr Erdogan has put the blame on supporters of his arch-foe, US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, in defiant remarks after flying back to Istanbul.

“What is being perpetrated is a treason and a rebellion. They will pay a heavy price for this act of treason,” Erdogan said.

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