Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture an Turkish Army APC (Featured Image Credit: Getty)
Yesterday night saw a reported death toll of 265, including 161 civilians and 104 'plotters', as helicopters attacked the streets, civilians clashed with soldiers, and chaos ensued in Ankara, as part of a failed coup against the Turkish government.
The Guardian has reported that a faction of the Turkish military tried to stage a coup to overthrow the country's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, sending tanks and soldiers into the streets of Istanbul and Ankara.
In the wake of the plot, President Erdoğan told civilians to line the streets in protest against the uprising via a Face Time appeal.
Reports suggested that a majority of people were strongly against the uprising and lined the streets to protest. This quickly escalated into violence, with military personnel beaten and some of the military involved in the attempted uprising opening fire on civilians, however the protesters were ultimately successful in preventing the coup from spreading.
A group of soldiers, involved in coup attempt, are being taken under custody by police (Image Credit: Getty)
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Now, as the government has declared the coup to be a failure, forces loyal to the president have moved to clamp-down on 'plotters', with nearly 3,000 soldiers under arrest and 2,700 judges being fired for alleged links to the coup.
Turkish authorities have detained General Adem Huduti, one of the military's top generals, and Alparslan Altan, a member of the nation's highest court, according to Anadolu news and CNN Türk.
President Erdogan has said that the military elements of the coup are guilty of 'treason', and cross-party politicians have condemned the plot during an emergency session of parliament called today in Ankara. All of Turkey's four main political parties have condemned the coup attempt in a joint statement, Reuters reported.
President Erdogan speaks to media in Marmaris District of Mugla, Turkey (Image Credit: Getty)
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Earlier today TheLADbible reported that a Turkish military helicopter has landed in northern Greece, with its crew requesting political asylum in the country. The crew are thought to have been part of the faction of the Turkish military that attempted to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government in a coup overnight.
It is likely the Turkish government will continue its crackdown on those suspected of involvement in the attempted coup over the coming days.
In a statement released by the White House, President Obama has reiterated the United States' 'unwavering support for the democratically-elected, civilian government of Turkey'.
Turkish people take a selfie after a group of soldiers are being neutralised by police at Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul (Image Credit: Getty)
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President Obama said: "While we have no indications as of yet that Americans were killed or injured in the violence, the president and his team lamented the loss of life and registered the vital need for all parties in Turkey to act within the rule of law and to avoid actions that would lead to further violence or instability.
"The president also underscored the shared challenges that will require continued Turkish cooperation, including our joint efforts against terrorism."
The official report, from the Turkish government, is that the attempted coup is now over.
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If you're in Turkey and no matter what your views, keep safe.
Words by James Dawson
Topics: Turkey,