Comment: Things be heating up!
Erdogan looks like he has sung his last tune.
This coup attempt comes after a dramatic turnaround in Turkish-Russian relations in the last couple of weeks, with Erdogan doing a 180-degree turn to say that Turkey would now cooperate with Russia against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
And now this.
20th century Turkey has had a number of military coups. A major scandal erupted there once Erdgoan came to power, revealing the existence of a secret network of 'Gladio' operatives (
termed 'Ergenekon' in Turkey), who effectively ran the state from the shadows on behalf of the High Cabal of Western Powers.
The question is, is this coup because of the very recent change in Erdogan's attitude to Russia and Syria? Like
Joe Quinn wrote last year about and the shoot-down of the Russian jet last year, the military/civilian intel infrastructure in Turkey is pretty much Gladio/NATO-made and owned.
This is the 5th coup in Turkey in the last 55 years. Turkey has historically been riven with internal factions vying for power. Erdogan and his Freedom and Justice party tried to sideline the other factions. First the Kemalist Turkish nationalists (Turkish military and deep state) who are mainly secular, and second the supporters of the super-rich Turkish businessman Fetullah Gulen who is exiled in the USA and resides there at the pleasure of the CIA etc.
Who exactly is behind this coup remains to be seen, but Erdogan himself has been pointing the finger at Gulen for a while now, and even blamed him for the shoot down of the Russian plane last year.
If true, then this is a CIA coup. Let's face it, it's not like they are new to the practice.
Erdogan and his coterie were such a bunch of idiots though, so it's hard to not see the back of him as a positive thing.
Interestingly, just two days ago, t
he French government closed its embassy in Istanbul, citing 'security concerns'.
Another possibility is that Erdogan saw the coup coming, then made a last-ditch effort to buy himself a protector by realigning his government with Russia.
We shall see...
Update 1
The military has
taken over state broadcaster TRT and imposed martial law with the aim of "
reinstating constitutional order, human rights and freedoms."
Erdogan appeared
via cell phone on CNN Turk, saying the coup "will be overcome" and calling on the people to help in any way they can. (Translation: the situation is dire!)
According to Reuters, the coup attempt occurred when Erdogan was on vacation outside the country. In his TV appearance, the president said he was returning to the Turkish capital of Ankara. The authorities would take all"necessary steps," he said, adding that he didn't believe the coup backers would succeed.
There have been unconfirmed reports that Erdogan's plane has been diverted inside the country, but airports in the Turkish capital had already been closed by the military with all flights diverted.
NBC News reported that Erdogan's aircraft has been denied permission to land in Istanbul, citing a source in the US military. The latest report claims that the Turkish president is seeking asylum in Germany.
There are reports of gunfire and explosions at police special ops HQ in Ankara and at the state broadcaster. A helicopter was spotted
opening fire over Ankara (videos at link). Meanwhile, crowds are angrily confronting the tanks pouring into Ankara...
Update 2
There are
firefights in the streets of Ankara, presumably between military and police. (Follow the link for videos.) Also at the
Turkish Presidential Palace. The military has reportedly used tanks and
opened fire on crowds of civilians in Istanbul protesting the coup on the Bosporus bridge. Tanks have surrounded Parliament and opened fire. Some soldiers appear to have been arrested by police. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have been shut down in the country.
Forces local to Erdogan have reportedly
shot down a helicopter with an F-16 jet. 17 police have died in firefights against the coup fighters at this point, reportedly from helicopter fire. Helicopters appear to be firing on civilians too, and Sputnik's headline calls it a "massacre".
Turkish FM Cavusoglu
says John Kerry has expressed "his support and solidarity with the lawfully elected Turkish government". Prior to that, Kerry (who is still in Moscow, speaking with Lavrov) expressed hopes for "
stability". Moscow called to avoid "bloodshed". Army units were ordered out of Iraq. Reports that police, MIT, 1st Army Command, Navy, and parts of Air Force and Special Forces are still loyal to Erdogan, who has blamed Gulenists for the coup. Rumors are floating that he was denied asylum in Germany and is now trying for the UK. Peskov says Russia will consider asylum if a
request is filed, and offered this non-committal statement: "Currently, the amount of information makes it impossible to give a clear definition of what is happening in the country."
Update 3
Obama seems to have given Kerry his
marching orders: support Erdogan's government.
Stoltenberg has called for "full respect for Turkey's democratic institutions." Gulen's movement (blamed by Erdogan for the coup) have
condemned the military's actions. Parliament has reportedly been
bombed from the air (
video of the moment of the explosion). The Istanbul governor is
saying the coup has been suppressed, mutineers being arrested, including one high-ranking officer.
Update 4
PM Yildirim has declared a
no-fly zone over Ankara. 104 coup soldiers have been identified, some
detained. 12 people were injured in the parliament explosion. Buildings reported as bombed besides parliament: Ministry of Interior, Intelligence, Armed Forces HQ, Police HQ, army buildings. Current reports suggest the coup has failed.
Update 5
Syrian opposition groups are speculating that the coup was attempted because of Turkey's support of Islamists (so says a member of the
Syrian Democratic Forum) and their "role as a mediator and a playground for terrorists from around the globe" (Hmemim group member
Tarek Ahmad). Meanwhile, the mutineers have
taken CNN Turk (from where Erdogan gave his last to messages via FaceTime) and Dogan Media. Gunshots were heard during CNN Turk's live broadcast. Soldiers have reportedly entered
Hurriyet's offices as well and are taking
hostages. Contrary to all the rumors, Erdogan has
arrived at Istanbul's Ataturk airport and plans to address the nation.
Update 6
Erdogan gave a
defiant speech at Istanbul airport, blaming the Gulenists and promising they'd pay, receiving the appropriate response, regardless of what institution they're from. He also called the coup a "gift from God", anticipating the purge of disloyal members of the military. He confirmed that Turkey's Secretary-General had been kidnapped, and fighter jets were dispatched to take out the helicopter attacking parliament. He says the hotel he was at in Marmaris was bombed after he left.
TRT TV has been
retaken by the government. Parliament suffered a new series of
blasts and a
new round of shooting has broken out around parliament.
Casualty numbers so far: 6+ dead in Istanbul, 160+ in hospital. 60 dead in Ankara, mostly civilians. Over 130 people have been detained for involvement in the coup attempt.
According to AKP member
Zeynap Jane Kandur: "
Turkey has come together. All three major party leaders have come out, even opposition, so all four main forces, have come out speaking against the coup. This is very important that all four political leaders have come out with the same statement," Kandur said stressting that "
Turkey has become unified. Everyone has gone out to the streets, they are claiming the country back. Turkey has had so many coups in the past 50 years, it simply cannot happen anymore. Turkey is not a place for the coup any more."
Leader of the coup alleged to be
Colonel Muharrem Kose, former officer discharged in March 2015 (the same month the neocons started speaking out against Erdogan and floating rumors of a planned coup) for his alleged links to Gulen.
Update 7 - Saturday, July 16
The coup has failed. Last night, military rebels
lost control of military HQ; some were killed during the fighting, and hundreds
surrendered. Intense gunfighting
resumed briefly in Ankara and Istanbul. Overall,
2839 servicemen were
arrested and stripped of their military titles, including 5 generals and 29 colonels. Many of the arrested troops are claiming the were told they were taking part in
military exercises and were unaware it was a real coup attempt. Chief of Military Staff Hulusi, Akar, who had been taken hostage, was
released and taken to a safe location. 104 coup supporters were killed during the fighting. 2745 judges have been
suspended, with
arrest warrants issued for 188 members of Turkey's supreme courts. Casualties: 265 people killed, 1440 injured. Traffic through the Bosphorus Strait is back to normal. (Photo gallery from the events of last night
here. Videos
from RT.)
Parliament will hold an
emergency session today. Border guards have been warned to increase security in order to stop coup supporters' attempts
to flee Turkey. Eight supporters have apparently already landed in Greece
via helicopter, and others have
seized a naval frigate from the Golcuk base, holding the navy's commander hostage. The air force's commander was
also captured by coup plotters while attending a wedding ceremony. (All three high-ranking hostages have now been
released.) Movement in and out of the US/NATO Incirlik base has been
blocked, according to the US consulate. (The base houses US nukes.)
The pilot
who shot down the Russan jet last year was reportedly involved in the coup; he has been
tied to Gulen. Gulen, of course,
categorically denies any involvement in the coup. Kerry, for his part, said they will need to see
evidence of Gulen's involvement before considering an
extradition request. Yildirim criticized the US for harboring "this leader of the terrorist gang".
Update 8
Turkish govt is saying all areas of government are now back
under their control, but say it is still to early to say whether the threat is entirely eliminated. The leader of the coup has been revised: now claimed to be General Akin Ozturk, former commander of the air force. Another high-ranker now detained: General Adem Huduti, who commanded the army corps 'protecting' Turkey's borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran. The Malatya Garrison Commander Avni Angun, and the Third Army Corps commander, General Erdal Ozturk, were also detained.
Groups such as al-Qaeda, Ahrar al-Sham, the FSA, all
voiced support for the Turkish government overcoming the coup. In contrast, the U.S. called the coup attempt a "Turkish Uprising" in a U.S. Embassy
statement. Turkey has clearly chosen a side, and it's not the States: PM Yildirim
said any country that stands by the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen will not be a friend of Turkey and will be considered at war with them.
Kerry has told Turkish FM Cavosoglu that Turkey's claims of U.S. involvement have "hurt relations" between the two countries, and called on the Turkish govt to follow the rule of law in the aftermath. Access to Incirlik's
US nukes are still restricted, and the power to the base has been cut. In other words, Erdogan is now (temporarily?) in control of U.S. nuclear weapons. U.S. jets
can't take off to engage in their "anti-Daesh" airstrikes. They can't be pleased. Cavusoglu says that several Incirlik servicemen were
detained due to links to the coup attempt. Some are already predicting the
end of NATO.
Rumor: "Turkey jets which bombed #Ankara refilled from fuel tankers took off from Incirlik airbase!!"
Another: "Journalist @sahmetsahmet says police was to arrest coup leaders yesterday before they mobilise, that led the coup pic.twitter.com/UdXViNUf1V" ("
there's a report saying a anti-Gulen operation was in final stages & ignited the coup attempt - the lists were ready") Officials say they found post coup plan
lists of new governors, heads of govt agencies. Gulen is now
blaming Erdogan for the coup (he's
not the only one), saying it was staged to purge the Gulenists and military, and comparing Erdogan to Hitler.
Coincidentally, RT suffered a massive
DDoS attack when the coup started, and another when their live coverage stream began.
Update 9 - Sunday, July 17
Incirlik base is
back open, and the Americans are launching "anti-ISIL" strikes again. Incirlik's commander, General Bekir Ercan Van, has been
detained for complicity in the coup attempt. The Turkish PM
announced that over 190 civilians died during the fighting, over 1400 injured. The U.S. State Department is warning of a
heightened terror threat in Turkey after the failed coup. They would know, wouldn't they? One of Erdogan's chief military assistants has been detained - the total is now over 6000 suspected coup supporters arrested. The 8 soldiers that sought asylum in Greece have been
arrested. Tsipras said their asylum requests will be quickly examined "with absolute respect" to international law and human rights treaties.
Meanwhile, thousands are
celebrating the end of the coup attempt in Taksim Square. In a prior speech in Istanbul, Erdogan further poked Obama: "Dear President Obama, I told you this before, arrest Fethullah Gulen or return him to Turkey.
You didn't listen. I call you on you again, after the coup attempt - extradite this man from Pennsylvania to Turkey.
If we are strategic partners, do what is necessary." Since the U.S. will probably never extradite Gulen, Erdogan is essentially saying they are not strategic partners with the U.S. This meshes with Turkish govt statements that they will go to war with "
any country" supporting Gulen. The Turkish Labor Minister said explicitly: "
The US is behind the coup attempt. A few journals that are published there [in the US] have been conducting activities for several months. For many months we have sent requests to the US concerning Fethullah Gulen. The US must extradite him."
Comment: For our previous ongoing coverage of all the major events related to the attempted coup, see here.