A large-scale military coup is currently underway in Turkey, evidently in an attempt to overthrow the controversial administration of Islamic president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Amateur videos show tanks and soldiers flooding the streets of Ankara and Istanbul, with audible gunfire and helicopters in the background. There have also been reports of bombs detonating at the Turkish parliament building and at Ataturk airport.
Below: In May, fistfights began in Turkish parliament after heated debate over the possible criminal investigation of certain politicians. The tensions have only worsened since then.
Mainstream media sources within the country attempted to cover the military coup at first, but military members allegedly took control of several of these outlets. In one case, a CNN Turk live broadcast was halted on air, as soldiers stormed the room and took broadcasters hostage. As a result, official reports are sporadic and inconsistent at the present time. CNN stated that there is currently “little independent confirmation on anything coming out of Turkey”.
Below: Turkish protesters gather in the streets, as military members fire weapons into the air and attempt to disperse the crowd.
According to the Turkish Press Office, president Erdogan told the media, “the ring leader who plotted all of this will pay the price in front of the nation.” Erdogan has declared members of the coup as terrorists, and laid the blame on followers of political rival Fethullah Gulen, who resides in a remote compound in Pennsylvania. However, Gulen has denied any involvement in the military coup. Erdogan also says that law enforcement has started arresting military officers of various ranks.
Update: The Turkish Prime Minister has told CNN that the the coup has failed, that “the government is in full control”, and that “rogue military aircraft have been shot down”. Other sources say it’s still unclear who has control.
For more updates on the military coup in Turkey, check the CNN Live Feed. Alternatively, you can refer to the Reddit live feed for instant updates (note: some of these updates may be inaccurate or may contain graphic content, as they are user-submitted).
