Turkish military in attempted coup, says Prime Minister

“The power in the country has been seized in its entirety,” said a military statement read on NTV television, without giving further details. The military’s website was not immediately accessible.

The whereabouts of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan remain unknown.

Earlier, Turkey’s prime minister said a group within Turkey’s military had engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup.

Binali Yildirim told NTV television: “It is correct that there was an attempt.”

Yildirim didn’t provide details, but said Turkey would never allow any “initiative that would interrupt democracy.”

Earlier, military jets were heard flying over the capital, Ankara, and there were reports of vehicles blocking two major bridges in Istanbul.

Media reports said ambulances were seen in front of the Turkey’s military headquarters.

“We are focusing on the possibility of an attempt (coup),” Yildirim said.
 

“There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy.”

NTV is reporting that helicopters are also flying over headquarters in Ankara.

“There are certain groups who took the arms trusted to them by the state and pointed them toward state employees,” Yildirim said. “We shall determine soon who they are. Our security forces have acted against these groups.”

The Dogan news agency says one-way traffic on the Bosporus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges were blocked. Video footage showed the bridge being blocked by military vehicles.