15 JUL 2016, UPDATED 22:29, 15 JUL 2016 BY SAM RKAINA

Soldiers, tanks and fighter jets have been seen in capital Ankara, while the country's state TV and internet has been cut off

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reportedly fled the country in a private jet following a military coup.

In the last few hours gunfire has been heard in the Turkish capital Ankara as military jets and helicopters were seen flying overhead.

In Istanbul, the Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge have been closed, along with Attaturk airport where tanks and soldiers have been seen.

GettyTurkish President Recep Tayyip ErdoganTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reportedly fled the country

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reportedly fled the country in a private jet following a military coup.

In the last few hours gunfire has been heard in the Turkish capital Ankara as military jets and helicopters were seen flying overhead.

In Istanbul, the Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge have been closed, along with Attaturk airport where tanks and soldiers have been seen.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said those responsible for what he described as an attempted coup by a faction within the military would pay the highest price.

He says they would not be allowed to do anything to interrupt democracy. Meanwhile soldiers have reportedly raided Istanbul Police Department headquarters, requesting the policemen handover their weapons.

Gunfire has also been heard at the police station, according to statements on Twitter. The current situation inside the building is not clear as yet.

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http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/...ilitary-8431619

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What's Going On in Turkey?

Here’s what we know:

—The Turkish military says it is taking over Turkey in order to restore democracy. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was on vacation, said those who attempted the coup would face the “highest price.”

—The military appears to be in control of state broadcasters and some airport facilities.

—We’re live-blogging the major updates. All updates are in Eastern Standard Time (GMT -5).

News of a coup in Turkey came as a surprise to the world, but not as great a surprise as it might have been in some countries. In the second half of the 20th century, the nation fell into a pattern of semi-regular military coups, and by that rhythm, it was in fact overdue. Previous coups came in in 1960, 1971, 1980, and 1997, so that the 19-year gap between the last uprising and today was notably long.

Modern Turkey was founded by Mustafa Kemal, a general in the Turkish Army who was later formally granted the surname “Ataturk,” or father of the Turks. Ataturk set about an aggressive program of modernizing and “Westernizing” the country, pushing religion to the margins, banning certain apparel like headscarves and fezes, and converting Turkish from Arabic to Latin script. But that secularism has always remained tenuous. Many Turks, especially rural ones, are religious, and not all of the reforms have remained popular.

The military has long seen its role as safeguarding Ataturk’s secularist agenda, and when it worries the government is shifting too far away, it has tended to take action. The first coup, in 1960, was a response to two currents: Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was both making overtures to Moscow and opening up to religion, reopening shuttered mosques, allowing the call to prayer to be sung in Arabic and more. A few dozen officers launched a coup in May 1960. Menderes was executed the following year after being convicted of violating the constitution.

The military relinquished control to civilians in 1965, when Süleyman Demirel was elected. But by 1971, growing unrest had emboldened Islamists, and the military again stepped in. This time, it did not launch tanks but instead delivered an ultimatum to Demirel, demanding “the formation, within the context of democratic principles, of a strong and credible government, which will neutralize the current anarchical situation and which, inspired by Atatürk's views, will implement the reformist laws envisaged by the constitution.” Demirel resigned; the military did not directly take control.

Nine years later, amid continued instability, the military again intervened, this time seizing power and holding it for three years. There followed a period of relative political stability. But in 1997, generals decided to depose Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, the head of an Islamist party. The military again enacted a coup by memo, forcing Erbakan’s resignation and banning him from politics.

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There are conflicting reports about Erdogan’s whereabouts. He was reported to be flying back to Ankara, though it’s unclear if he will be able to land there, given the airports have been taken over by the military. He was supposed to make a statement on state TV, also now controlled by the armed forces, and had to make a comment via FaceTime.
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As news broke about the coup attempt in Turkey, Secretary of State John Kerry said he was following updates.

“I don’t have any details at this time,” he said. “I hope there will be stability and peace and continuity within Turkey. But I have nothing to add with respect to what has transpired at this moment."

5:31 p.m.

There are conflicting reports about Erdogan. It was reported that he was flying back to Ankara. He tried to make a statement on state TV, but that has been taken over by the military, so he was apparently forced to resort to FaceTime.

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But Erdogan’s liberalism only went so far. As his tenure lengthened, he broke with the enigmatic religious leader Fethullah Gülen, a longstanding ally who is now exiled in Pennsylvania. It soon became apparent that his goal was not a liberal democracy but a sort of revival of Ottomanism. Erdogan grew increasingly autocratic, cracking down on the media and drawing power to himself, working to transform the Turkish presidency—traditionally a relatively weak position, compared to the prime ministership—into a strong one. He became president in 2014, but the civil war in neighboring Syria and increasing tensions with Kurds encouraged him to grab even more power. By earlier this year, reporters were referring to Erdogan as being “on a march to dictatorship.” Even if Erdogan is able to survive the coup and reassert control, the Turkish model is dead—and so are any hopes that Erdogan might be a liberalizer or a democrat.

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In a statement, the military said it took over the country for “democratic order” and “human rights.” The statement added:

“Turkish armed forces, in order to re-establish constitutional order, democracy, rights and freedoms, rule of law, safety and security of the Turkish nation and the state, has taken over all governmental responsibilities of the Republic of Turkey.”

http://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/...ernment/491579/