Erdogan says government in charge following coup
attempt in Turkey
(Vatican Radio) Turkey
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted to the nation Saturday that his
government is in charge following a coup attempt.
Speaking on national
television, President Erdogan gave a defiant speech from Istanbul, following an
attempt by a section of the army to overthrow his government.
President Erdogan returned to
the city, after the Prime Minister said the situation in the country was under
control.
Mr. Erdogan said the
attempted coup was an 'act of treason' and the army needed to be cleansed.
Turkey has appointed Umit
Dundar as the head of its First Army, while the whereabouts of the current head
of the armed forces is unclear.
As events unfolded late on
Friday, the army said it had taken control of the country and imposed Marshall
Law. A statement from the group was read on TRT Television, which went off air
soon afterwards.
The situation in the two
biggest cities Ankara and Istanbul remains confusing - there are reports of
tanks still firing at the Parliament in Ankara and a private TV station
reported a bomb attack on the Presidential Palace, but the reports could not be
verified.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister
has ordered aircraft hijacked by coup plotters to be shot down. So far, it is
reported that 200 people have now been arrested in connection with the coup.
The prosecutor's office in
Ankara says at least 42 people have been killed in the city - other reports
suggest the figure is 60 - most of them civilians. Further casualties have been
reported in Istanbul.
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