ISTANBUL — Turkey's president declared he is in control of the NATO country early Saturday as loyal military and police forces fought to squash a coup attempt during a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire that left dozens dead.
A faction of the armed forces attempted to seize power using tanks and attack helicopters, some strafing the headquarters of Turkish intelligence and parliament in Ankara, others seizing a major bridge in Istanbul.
At least 194 people were killed in clashes, Gen. Umit Dundar told a press conference. He said that figure included 47 civilians, 41 police officers, two soldiers and 104 alleged coup plotters.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim later said that 1,440 people had been wounded and 2,839 military personnel detained during what he described as a "dark stain on Turkish democracy." He also pinned blame for the coup on the "parallel terrorist organization."
The coup attempt crumbled after crowds answered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call to take to the streets and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks. Government officials blamed the unrest on a Pennsylvania-based Islamist cleric.
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 a major U.S. ally while war rages on in neighboring Syria.
Erdogan, who had been on vacation on the country's southwest coast when the coup was launched, appeared to accuse the coup plotters of trying to kill him.
He added that the rebels "will pay a heavy price for their treason to Turkey," according to a transcript of his remarks provided by his office to The Associated Press. "Those who stain the military's reputation must leave. The process has started today, and it will continue just as we fight other terrorist groups."
Source : www.nbcnews.com/
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