whatsapp
A group of plotters of the failed Turkish coup attempt used a WhatsApp group to communicate with each other. Bellingcat has transcribed, translated, and analysed the conversation, thereby cross-referencing the messages with photos, videos, and news reports of the evening, night, and morning of July 15-16.

The transcript is composed of two different sources. The first source is a video which was uploaded to Twitter in the morning of July 16, and appears to show the conversation on the phone of a surrendered, captured, or killed coup plotter. This video revealed the WhatsApp conversation from its start at 21:15 to 22:45. The second source is 21 photos that show the rest of the conversation, has already been transcribed. The photos are courtesy of Al Jazeera Türk's Selahattin Günday, and we are thankful that he was willing to share them with Bellingcat. We owe many thanks to "Has Avrat"[1] for fully translating the transcript, as well as contributing to the analysis. All times mentioned are in the local time zone, which is EEST (UTC+3).

This article will chronologically highlight and analyse most the most striking parts of the transcript, including the following:
  • The WhatsApp group consists of high-ranking military officials, mostly of the Turkish Land Forces, including two Brigadiers and eleven Colonels;
  • The group is just one coordination group of the coup attempt, as it focuses on (predominantly) land forces in Istanbul and Sakarya only. There were likely other coordination groups for actions elsewhere in Turkey. It is thus important to bear in mind that this is a snapshot of the conversation of some of the coup plotters, and not a full picture;
  • At least one member of the group communicates with "Ankara", where the coupist headquarters was located (probably in Akıncı Air Base);
  • At least three out of the five coupist regiments are part of Turkey's NATO Rapid Deployable Corps;
  • The conversation and communication between the coup plotters appears to be chaotic, as several numbers still had to be exchanged amidst the attempt;
  • Traffic congestion is a problem throughout the night, and so are private broadcasters;
  • There is a constant repetition regarding taking their superior hostage, the Commander of the First Army;
  • Air support is requested many times, including the suggestion to strike the Bosporus Bridge;
  • As the morning breaks, the coup plotters realise it is over. "Shall we escape", a Colonel asks. "The choice is yours", he gets as response. "We have not decided yet. But we have left our position. I'm closing the group. Delete the messages if you want".
A full transcript in both the original Turkish and translated English of the WhatsApp conversation can be viewed and downloaded here as a PDF-file.

Continue reading the full account here.


Comment: Some disturbing excerpts:
0019 — Citizens pour into the street
...
The only place that seems relatively calm, judging from the messages, is Çengelköy, where the Kuleli Military High School is located. But the calmness comes at a price: "We have shot 4 people who were resisting at Çengelköy. Everything's fine." The victims are probably soldiers that were disobeying the coupist soldiers.

Another location where people are getting shot is Acıbadem neighbourhood, where Major Mehmet Karabekır and his units "were attempting to take over Turkey's telecommunications center Türk Telekom", according to Daily Sabah.

However, they met civil resistance and Major Karabekır ordered any civilian standing it the way to be shot. One of the civilians was Mete Sertbaş, the mukhtar (a headman responsible for the neighbourhood) of Acıbadem. Major Karabekır shoots mukhtar Sertbaş at point blank in his stomach. The chilling moment was captured on camera. Sertbaş bled to death on the street.


With regards to Acıbadem, Karabekır says the following (after he shared two photos). He does not mention that a civilian has been shot.
... Acibadem is done, about to hit the road. ...
Interestingly, Major Karabekır sends the most violent messages to the chat. "Show no compassion", he writes as well as "Don't dare [to] hesitate, hit them".
...

0126 — Sakarya Governor's house overrun by civilians

At 01:26, Lieutenant-Colonel Çoşkun's forces are overrun by civilians, and he informs the group.

"Crush them, burn them," Major Karabekır tells Çoşkun. "No compromise." Çoşkun replies that even if he would open fire, it would not help. "We'll hit 3 or 5, but we won't be able to stop them from entering."
...

0143 — Firing on civilians at the First Bridge

"We have shot 20-30 people", Major Aygar, who is responsible for the Bosphorus bridges, writes. "But our guys at the 2nd Bridge are struggling. Need helicopter." Lieutenant-Colonel Düzenli passes on an order from the coup headquarters: "CROWDS THAT HAVE GATHERED WILL BE FIRED ON."
...