Turkish Politics & Internal Affairs

[T-Rex]

This is what I got from twitter:

1. 
   Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ‏@RT_Erdogan 54m54 minutes ago

Durum tam anlamıyla normalleşene kadar sokaklardan, havalimanlarından ve meydanlardan ayrılmayacağız.

Translated from Turkish by Bing
The situation is literally normalleşene on the street, and we're not leaving from the airports.

3,338 retweets 3,461 likes

May Allah protect democracy in Turkey from the goons of sisi the thug. My congratulations to the fearless people of Turkey. We express our solidarity with President Erdogan and his courageous followers. Hunting down the criminals is imperative, there should be no mercy. Sisi the thug has shown the culprits the way, I've a hunch that sisi the scoundrel might have his hands in this, if the link is found his treachery must be returned in the same manner.

 

[nadeemkhan110]

On Friday, a faction of the Turkish Army leadership launched a failed military coup against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, despite the initial wave of control and presence enforced by the coup-faction in Ankara (the capital) and Istanbul, the Turkish government succeeded in neutralizing the uprising (believed to being led by Colonel Muharrem Kose as well as other mid-level officers). Erdogan even gave a speech at Istanbul airport, assuring the Turkish population – which has largely backed him during the crisis – that he is still in power.

First signs (evening hours)

The crisis started in the evening when Turkish Army personnel and vehicles – including tanks – entered Ankara and Istanbul. Shortly after, officials belonging to the coup-faction announced that they had taken control of the country. The Turkish Military’s Chief of General Staff – i.e. top commander – General Hulusi Akar was detained by the coup faction (The Telegraph).

Clashes (late night/early morning)

Up to two hours later, the coup faction had succeeded in taking control of the Turkish Parliament. Clashes between the coup faction and the government – via initially the police, but wider armed forces (including the Turkish Air Force/TuAF) – had begun in earnest. By midnight, at least 17 Turkish police personnel were reported to have been killed. TuAF F-16s were spotted flying low over Ankara and Istanbul, where they had begun interdicting coup faction helicopters (in which one helicopter was downed – Sputnik News). Explosions at a number of major sites, such as Ataturk Airport in Istanbul and Turkish Parliament in Ankara, were also reported.

Public response (late night/early morning)

Although Erdogan is a contentious figure at home and abroad, the apparent support of the coup quickly subsided when larger swaths of the Turkish population began to emerge in support of the government. Footage of protesters overrunning coup faction tanks and posts had emerged alongside reports of coup faction personnel firing on protesters (Business Insider). Middle East policy experts were not surprised at the support shown to Erdogan, he is still a popular figure (Vox Media).

Neutralization (early morning)

It is apparent that most of the wider Turkish military still supports Erdogan, which can be seen from the fact that (1) the coup faction had to target the top brass and (2) the fact that the Turkish government is able to wield its each of its armed organs, including the air force.

Current situation

The current situation is still largely unclear. While the coup did not succeed in toppling the government, there have still been reports (as of 4:45am in Turkey) of bomb explosions at the parliament building. The whereabouts of the Turkish Chief of General Staff – General Akar – are also unknown. A total of 42 persons – including 17 police personnel – are believed to have been killed.

Comment and Analysis [tentative]

We cannot comment on who instigated the coup, but in general terms, there is a very high level of uncertainty for Turkey moving forward. The Turkish economy and political climate alike are far from stable at this point, and the actual consequences of these events will become known in the coming weeks and months. How this impacts Erdogan or the Turkish military remains to be seen, but the unprecedented nature of this event (considering it has been over 30 years since the military overtly interfered in Turkey’s political environment) cannot be understated.
Source: http://quwa.org/2016/07/16/summary-coup-attempt-turkey/

 

[T-Rex]

A sound remark made at the wrong Forum.

There's no wrong forum for uttering the truth, only those who play around with the truth think otherwise.

 

[T-123456]

Nations are made by people, not by militaries. A soldier's uniform, helmet, gun and paycheck are all paid by Civilian's taxes. He / She has nothing of their own and they do not have a right to point their gun towards the civilians, no matter what the reason may be.

Any military is a subordinate institution to the civilian elected government and to the people, period. Any general or commander breaking that code of conduct and staging a coupe, should be tried for treason to damage the structure, people's will and integrity of a country. Congrats to the Turkish nation for their bravery and courage. Rest assured, this kind of behavior will never be repeated again, based on the outcome today.

I hope generals from all other nations with a history of coupes, are watching this and know this day will come for them too, should they continue to take people's right to rule over for their own purposes (under the slogan of "we are the real patriots"). The ONLY real patriots in a country, are her people!

Do you have any knowledge about the situation in my country?

 

[TrMhMt]

Well, we knot it now this isn't a coup. Small a group within tsk attempted but they are failed.

 

[Zain Malik]

Its my humble request to all Muslim Brothers To pray for Peace in Turkey...
90 Turkish People Dead so sad to know that....
MAy Allah Bless Turkey and restrict enimies to cause Civil War.

 

[litman]

wan't expecting such type of move by a professional army, this event has exposed the division in turkish military. overall poor planning and poor execution.

 

[[Bregs]]

Turkish military coup bid crumbles, 90 killed in violence, Erdogan returns

An attempted Turkish military coup appeared to crumble on Saturday after crowds answered President Tayyip Erdogan’s call to take to the streets to support him and dozens of rebel soldiers abandoned their tanks in the main city of Istanbul.

At least 90 people were killed and 1, 154 injured in violence that erupted on Friday after a faction of the armed forces attempted to seize power, the state run news agency said.

A successful overthrow of Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would have marked one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming one of the most important US allies while war rages on its border. A failed coup attempt could still destabilise a pivotal country.

Erdogan, who had been holidaying on the southwest coast when the coup was launched, flew into Istanbul before dawn on Saturday and was shown on TV among a crowd of supporters outside Ataturk Airport.

Also read: Full coverage on the coup

The uprising was an “act of treason”, and those responsible would pay a heavy price, he told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference. Arrests of officers were under way and it would go higher up the ranks, culminating in the cleansing of the military, he said.

Addressing a crowd of thousands of flag-waving supporters at the airport later, Erdogan said the government remained at the helm, although disturbances continued in Ankara.

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However, in an emailed statement from the Turkish military General Staff’s media office address, the pro-coup faction said it was determinedly still fighting.

Calling itself the Peace at Home Movement, the faction also called on people to stay indoors for their own safety.

Rebel soldiers who had taken control of military aircraft were still firing from the air and fighter jets had been scrambled to intercept them, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, underscoring the ongoing uncertainty.

Gunfire and explosions had rocked both Istanbul and Ankara in a chaotic night after soldiers took up positions in both cities and ordered state television to read out a statement declaring they had taken power.

An injured woman draped in a Turkish flag is checked by others near military headquarters in Ankara, Turkey July 16, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer
Around 50 soldiers involved in the coup surrendered on one of the bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul after dawn on Saturday, abandoning their tanks with their hands raised in the air. Reuters witnesses saw government supporters attack the pro-coup soldiers who had surrendered.

Earlier, around 30 pro-coup soldiers had surrendered their weapons after being surrounded by armed police in Istanbul’s central Taksim square.

They were taken away in police vans as a fighter jet repeatedly screeched overhead at low altitude, causing a boom that shook surrounding buildings and shattered windows.

Also read: Who is Fethullah Gullen

LAWMAKERS IN HIDING

The coup began with warplanes and helicopters roaring over Ankara and troops moving in to seal off the bridges over the Bosphorus Strait that links Europe and Asia in Istanbul.

Authorities had shut the strait to tanker traffic, shipping agent GAC said.

By the early hours of Saturday, lawmakers were still hiding in shelters inside the parliament building in Ankara, which was being fired on by tanks. Smoke rose up from nearby, Reuters witnesses said. An opposition MP told Reuters parliament was hit three times and that people had been wounded.

A senior Turkish official said later on Saturday attacks on the parliament had “largely stopped”.

A Turkish military commander also said fighter jets had shot down a helicopter used by the coup plotters over Ankara. State-run Anadolu news agency said 17 police were killed at special forces headquarters there.

Momentum turned against the coup plotters as the night wore on. Crowds defied orders to stay indoors, gathering at major squares in Istanbul and Ankara, waving flags and chanting.

“We have a prime minister, we have a chief of command, we’re not going to leave this country to degenerates,” shouted one man, as groups of government supporters climbed onto a tank near Ataturk airport.

Erdogan and other officials blamed the attempted coup on followers of Fethullah Gulen, an influential cleric in self-imposed exile in the United States who once supported Erdogan but became a nemesis.

The pro-Gulen Alliance for Shared Values said it condemned any military intervention in domestic politics.

Also read: All your questions answered on the coup

US Secretary of State John Kerry said he phoned the Turkish foreign minister and emphasised “absolute support for Turkey’s democratically elected, civilian government and democratic institutions”.

Turkey, a NATO member with the second biggest military in the Western alliance, is one of the most important allies of the United States in the fight against the Islamic State militant group, which seized swaths of neighbouring Iraq and Syria.

European Council President Donald Tusk called for a swift return to Turkey’s constitutional order, saying tensions there could not be resolved by guns.

“Turkey is a key partner for the European Union. The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law,” Tusk said at regional summit in Mongolia.

People demonstrate outside Ataturk international airport during an attempted coup in Istanbul, Turkey. (Source: Reuters)
SOCIAL MEDIA CUT OFF

Airports were shut and access to internet social media sites was cut off in the first hours of the coup attempt. Flag carrier Turkish Airways resumed flights on Saturday, Erdogan said.

Malaysia Airports, the operator of Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, Istanbul’s second airport, said it would continue to process flights in and out of Turkey.

Soldiers took control of TRT state television, which announced a countrywide curfew and martial law. An announcer read a statement on the orders of the pro-coup faction that accused the government of eroding the democratic and secular rule of law. Turkey would be run by a “peace council” that would ensure the safety of the population, the statement said.

TRT went off the air shortly afterwards. It resumed broadcasting in the early hours of Saturday.

Reuters reporters saw a helicopter open fire in Ankara. Anadolu news agency said military helicopters had fired on the headquarters of the intelligence agency.

The coup had appeared strong early on Friday evening. A senior EU source monitoring the situation said: “It looks like a relatively well-orchestrated coup by a significant body of the military, not just a few colonels … They control several strategic points in Istanbul.”

One European diplomat was dining with the Turkish ambassador to a European capital when guests were interrupted by the pinging of urgent news on their mobile phones.

“This is clearly not some tinpot little coup. The Turkish ambassador was clearly shocked and is taking it very seriously,” the diplomat told Reuters as the dinner party broke up. “However it looks in the morning, this will have massive implications for Turkey. This has not come out of nowhere.”

Also read: Coup threatens US fight against ISIS

Turkey is one of the main backers of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country’s civil war, host to 2.7 million Syrian refugees and launchpad last year for the biggest influx of migrants to Europe since World War Two.

Celebratory gunfire erupted in Syria’s capital Damascus after the army claimed to have toppled Erdogan. People took to the streets to celebrate there and in other government-held cities.

A tank moves into position as Turkish people attempt to stop them, in Ankara, Turkey. (AP Photo)
Turkey has been at war with Kurdish separatists and has suffered numerous bombing and shooting attacks this year, including an attack two weeks ago by Islamists at Ataturk airport that killed more than 40 people.

After serving as prime minister from 2003, Erdogan was elected president in 2014 with plans to alter the constitution to give the previously ceremonial presidency far greater executive powers.

Turkish military stand guard near the the Taksim Square as people wave with Turkish flags in Istanbul, Turkey, July 16, 2016. REUTERS/Murad Sezer
Turkey has enjoyed an economic boom during his time in office and has dramatically expanded its influence across the region. However, opponents say his rule has become increasingly authoritarian.

His AK Party, with roots in Islamism, has long had a strained relationship with the military and nationalists in a state that was founded on secularist principles after World War One. The military has a history of mounting coups to defend secularism, but has not seized power directly since 1980.

http://indianexpress.com/article/wo...ry-coup-bid-crumbles-erdogan-returns-2917235/

 

[WaLeEdK2]

Erdogan was mending ties with the Russians and Syria. I wonder if that had anything to do with it.

 

[PaklovesTurkiye]

Turkey was secular before Erdogon takeover. Now, Turkey is going towards bloodshed and unrest. I pray for military takeover, which is good for Turkey and Peace in future.
Turkey should continue its struggle to throw Erdogon government, otherwise Turkish themselves are responsible for unrest and dark future.
I pray for Turkey people and bright future.

Turks have right to go for whatever they want....Coup or democracy....Turks know more well about their country than us. So, i don't think they'll listen to outsiders.

We'll respect every leader Turks come up with...

 

[Aero]

Probably some of Erdogan's policies are to blame.

Coup wasn't strong , some 2000 soldiers against ~600000 Turkish Army. It was bound to fail.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/turkey-coup-live-updates-explosion-8431256

 

[ayesha.a]

Turkey was secular before Erdogon takeover. Now, Turkey is going towards bloodshed and unrest. I pray for military takeover, which is good for Turkey and Peace in future.
Turkey should continue its struggle to throw Erdogon government, otherwise Turkish themselves are responsible for unrest and dark future.
I pray for Turkey people and bright future.

The "overthrow" could have been through the ballot box.

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

Turks have right to go for whatever they want....Coup or democracy....Turks know more well about their country than us. So, i don't think they'll listen to outsiders.

We'll respect every leader Turks come up with...

Yes, they have right to choose path of destruction or path of secularism. Let them choose.
We can only predict the future. Path of bloodshed, or path of Peace as it was before.

 

[Aero]

The "overthrow" could have been through the ballot box.

It didn't work out last year.

 

[PaklovesTurkiye]

Yes, they have right to choose path of destruction or path of secularism. Let them choose.
We can only predict the future. Path of bloodshed, or path of Peace as it was before.

Peace will prevail in Turkey. Turks voted for Mr. Erdogan. Turks are far sighted than any other Muslim nation...in my opinion