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Turkey: Military Coup Attempt Apparently Underway – UPDATE: Watch Live Stream Now [Video]

By Dee Sharp
Published on: 09:19 PST, Jul 15, 2016

Update 10:45 PM CST – CNN reports that Istanbul’s airport has reopened and TRT and CNN news stations are broadcasting again.

Update 10:25 PM CST – MSN reports that PM Yildirim made a statemtent that more than 120 people have been arrested for their participation in the military coup attempt. Yildirim says, “Things are getting better every minute.”

News sources have also reported that 42 people were killed in Ankara.

Update 9:55 PM CST – According to The New York Times, a bomb that had been detonated at the Turkish Parliament had killed twelve people and critically injured two others. The news was announced on CNN Turk just 30 minutes before the TV station was taken over by soldiers and shut down. However, it was recently reported that special forces and civilians had taken control of the TV station back.

Update 9:40 PM CST – Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mehmet Simsek, confirms that the coup has failed and that the government is in full control. Simsek also confirmed that many soldiers involved in the attempted coup had been arrested and rogue military aircraft had been shot down. CNN News reported that Katherine Cohen, an American who is in an Istanbul hotel, told CNN by phone that an explosion went off just moments ago but no details are known.

Update 8:40 PM CST – ABC News reported that President Erdogan had returned to Instanbul and vowed that those that attempted the coup will “pay.” Prime Minister Yildirim said that military leaders had ordered all soldiers to return to their bases, and called those involved in the coup “traitors” and called the move “a terrorist act.” CNN reported that Erdogan had been speaking from Attaturk Airport in Istanbul and said that law enforcement had started arresting military officers of all ranks. He also said that the hotel he had been staying at when the coup attempt began was bombed after he left.

Update – 8:25 PM CST – CNN News sister news outlet in Turkey was ordered to go off the air earlier after Turkish soldiers took over the building.

Update – 7:50 PM CST – Bloomberg reports that Turkish Prime Minister Yildirim says that the attempted military coup is “largely under control,” and that military leaders who were not involved in the uprising condemned the coup attempt. The U.S. and other NATO allies of Turkey also declared their support of the government. CNN News says it is unclear if the coup is really over, as explosions and gunfire are still being heard. President Erdogan is reportedly headed back to Istanbul.

Update – 7:10 PM CST – CNN reports that Turkey’s National Intelligence Unit claims that the coup is over, but confrontations between Turkish military and protesters continue. Turkish citizens riding on a Turkish tank after news of the defeated coup have been seen in videos.

Update – 7:00 PM CST – Protesters of the military coup in Turkey are currently facing down a Turkish military tank. The Associated Press just released a report that Turkish officials have said that the coup attempt has been stopped, after a violent night that leaves at least 17 dead, according to state-run media.

Update – 6:55 PM CST – Times of Israel reported that Turkish troops fired on crowds in Istanbul, causing some casualties. General Zekai Aksakalli, commander of Turkey’s military special forces, said, “Those who are attempting a coup will not succeed.”

The commander told NTV by telephone, “Our people should know that we will overcome this… We are in control of the situation.”

Some deaths and injuries were reported during the coup attempt, but no details were given.

Update – 6:45 PM CST – After Erdogan urged citizens to go to the streets to thwart the coup attempt, thousands of people did to show their support of the Turkish government, but reports are saying that people are returning to their homes now and it is unclear who really has control. It is 2:45 AM in Istanbul, Turkey.

Update – 6:35 PM CST – CNN reported that a Turkish jet fighter shot down a helicopter that was carrying coup plotters.

Update – 6:25 PM CST – President Obama called and spoke with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and they agreed that all parties in Turkey should support the “democratically-elected Goverment of Turkey, show restraint, and avoid any violence or bloodshed.” Kerry said that the State Department would continue to focus on the safety and security of U.S. citizens in Turkey, and the President asked Kerry to keep him updated as the situation unfolds.

Update – 5:20 PM CST – Watch the live streaming videos below to see what is happening in Turkey right now.

https://youtu.be/8LvR8CjHzOI

Update – 5 PM CST – CNN News has reported that a coup is indeed underway, and the Turkish military has imposed martial law in the country at this time. President Erdogan is asking the Turkish people to take to the streets to thwart the coup attempt that is underway right now. State broadcaster TRT announced that a statement by the Turkish military was made on behalf of the “Peace in the Nation” council, and a TRT announcer said, “The political administration that has lost all legitimacy has been forced to withdraw.”

Social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook have also been blocked in the country.

4:30 PM CST – According to the New York Times and several other sources, Turkish military troops have apparently attempted to stage a coup in Turkey. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that some factions of the Turkish military had attempted a coup. PM Yildirim told NTV, “Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command.” The Prime Minister also denied that the coup was successful. However, other reports tell different stories.

“The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.”

Reports on Airlive say that a Turkish military helicopter had opened fire in the district of Ankara, which is the home of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization headquarters. Istanbul’s Ataturk airport also canceled all flights after the attempted coup, but flights are still landing there as of now. Airlive also reported that the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has supposedly left the country in his private presidential jet.

Reuters on MSN has reported that Turkey’s military “had seized power, but the prime minister said the attempted coup would be put down.” According to Reuters, if the military coup is successful, the overthrow of President Erdogan would be one of the “biggest shifts in power in the Middle East in years.” President Erdogan has ruled Turkey since 2003.

The reason the military took power in Turkey was to “protect the democratic order and to maintain human rights.” This was a statement that the military sent by email to Turkish TV channels, which reported the coup.

[Photo by Gokhan Tan/Getty Images]

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