Turkey: Military Takes Over In A Military Coup
The Prime Minister of Turkey, Binali Yildirim, has said that there was an “attempt” at a military coup by the Turkish Armed Forces on Friday.
Yildirim told journalists in the country that “it is correct that there was an attempt” at a coup, but stated that the Turkish Government would never give chance to any “initiative that would interrupt democracy” in the country.
The Prime Minister said: “We are focusing on the possibility of an attempt (coup),”
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“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.”
“There are certain groups who took the arms trusted to them by the state and pointed them toward state employees,”
“We shall determine soon who they are. Our security forces have acted against these groups.”
However, the Turkish Armed Forces, on Friday, issued a statement to the Turkish news agency that it has “fully seized control” of power in the country.
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The military said it seized control in order “to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated.”
The Armed Forces maintained that, “all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue.”
News reports said gunfire was heard outside the Turkish military headquarters, while fighter jets hovered round Ankara, the country’s capital.
