Some Turkish military units have attempted an uprising that will be not allowed to succeed, the country’s prime minister said late Friday in a phone interview with Turkish broadcaster A Haber.
The uprising is “an attempt against democracy and the will of the people,” Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told state news agency Anadolu. “Those who attempted this will pay the heaviest price.”
The Turkish military has issued statements, which have been published in some Turkish media, and not others, and reported by the Reuters news agency, claiming it has “fully seized control of Turkey” to maintain democratic order, that rule of law must remain a priority and international relations must remain. The statements have not been distributed through regular web channels.
There is no independent verification of either claim and it is unclear who is in charge in Turkey.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in Moscow that he has been given reports about what is going on. “I don’t have any details. I hope there will be peace, stability and continuity in Turkey,” he said.
One tweet showed a military jet flying extremely low over the capital Ankara.
A report from the U.S. Embassy in Ankara said military-appearing jets had been flying low over the city and Istanbul for about an hour.
Two bridges in Istanbul are closed in one direction by the military. Cars are flowing from the European side of the city to the Asian, but soldiers and military vehicles are blocking the path to the European side.
Developing story – more to come