Military coup: Army announces takeover, as people struggle to ATM for money (photos)

16.07.2016 00:55

– Reports just coming in now indicate there is a struggle for power between the Turkey army and the democratically elected government

– Information has it that Turkish soldiers announced on the local Television a military coup around 10:03pm of Friday, July 15

– The central government headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says it is still in control

A military coup has been said to have happened in Turkey.

According to BBC, an army group in Turkey says it has taken control of the country with bridges closed in Istanbul, while aircraft are flying low over Ankara, Turkey’s capital.

In a recent report by Atlas and Boots, Turkey is the 19th most dangerous country in the world.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim earlier denounced an “illegal action” by some military group stressing it was not a coup. He said that the government remained in charge.

Traffic has been stopped from crossing both the Bosphorus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges in Istanbul.

There are reports of gunshots in the capital Ankara. It was gathered that gunshot was also heard outside Istanbul police HQ and tanks are said to be stationed outside Istanbul airport. All flights are cancelled.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey

CNN Turk reported that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was “safe” but did not elaborate.

A statement from the military group read out on NTV television said: “The power in the country has been seized in its entirety.” Who represents the group remains uncertain.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim

A Turkish presidential source told Reuters that the statement was not authorised by the military command.

Yildirim told NTV by telephone: “We are working on the possibility of an attempt. We will not allow this attempt. Those who are in this illegal act will pay the highest price,” he added, saying it would not be correct to describe the move as a “coup.”

This image purports to show police officers detained by a military unit

He added: “There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy.”

There are reports Turkey’s top general has been taken hostage at the military headquarters.

On the part of Telegraph, it reported that soldiers were at the headquarters of state TV station TRT in the country’s capital, Ankara. It also learnt that the military coup was part of the Turkish army attempt to overthrow the government of President Erdogan.

The bridges at Istanbul across Bosphorus have closed

A Turkish soldier stands on guard on the side of the road on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Credit: AFP

Reuters learnt that Yildirim stated that a group within Turkey’s military has tried to overthrow the government on Friday, July 15, but security forces have been called in to “do what is necessary.”

The Turkey Prime Minister also said: “Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command,” Yildirim said in comments broadcast by private channel NTV.

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

“Those behind the attempted coup would pay the highest price.”

Below is a tweet of the situation of things presently in Turkey:

#Breaking :Civilians rush to withdraw money from ATM machines in #Turkey as military attempts coup via @RudawEnglish pic.twitter.com/iuARIMMgbj

— حسن سجواني (@HSajwanization) July 15, 2016