《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》Turkey regains control after coup bid

‘PARALLEL STATE’: Turkish President Erdogan blamed the revolt, which left 265 people dead and thousands injured, on Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen

/ AFP, ANKARA

Turkish authorities yesterday said they had regained control of the country after thwarting an attempt that claimed more than 250 lives by discontented soldiers to seize power from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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After the bloodiest challenge to his 13-year rule, Erdogan urged his backers to stay on the streets to prevent a possible “flare-up” of Friday’s chaos in the strategic NATO member of 80 million people.

With at least 2,839 soldiers already detained in a relentless roundup over the coup, authorities blamed the conspiracy on Erdogan’s archenemy, US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

“The situation is completely under control,” Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said outside his Ankara offices, flanked by Turkey’s top general, who had allegedly been taken hostage by the plotters.

Describing the attempted coup as a “black stain” on Turkey’s democracy, Yildirim said 161 people had been killed in the night of violence and 1,440 wounded.

This toll did not appear to include 104 rebel soldiers killed overnight, bringing the overall death toll from the bloodshed to 265.

On a night where power was in the balance, large crowds of flag-waving supporters of Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party defied a curfew and marched onto streets to block the attempt to overthrow the regime.

Erdogan used Twitter to urge people onto the streets to ensure no further challenges to his power.

“We should keep on owning the streets tonight no matter at what stage [the coup attempt is at] because a new flare-up could take place at any moment,” he said.

As the dust settled on a dramatic and chaotic night, TV footage yesterday showed extensive damage to the Grand National Assembly complex, home to Turkey’s parliament, in Ankara, which was bombed by rebel warplanes.

Friday’s putsch bid began with rebel F-16 warplanes screaming low over rooftops in Ankara, soldiers and tanks taking to the streets and multiple explosions throughout the night in the capital, as well as the country’s biggest city, Istanbul.

Rebel troops also moved to block the two bridges across the Bosphorus in Istanbul, culminating in a standoff with an angry crowd.

As protesters poured onto the streets, a photojournalist reported seeing troops open fire on people gathered near one of the bridges, leaving dozens wounded.

Soldiers also shot at protesters angrily denouncing the coup bid at Istanbul’s Taksim Square, injuring several.

Government F-16s launched airstrikes against tanks stationed by coup backers outside the presidential palace in Ankara.

As the popular tide turned against them, dozens of soldiers backing the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul they had held throughout the night, holding their hands above their heads as they were detained, TV footage showed.

Erdogan pinned the blame on “the parallel state” and “Pennsylvania” — a reference to Pennsylvania-based cleric Gulen, whom he has accused of seeking to overthrow him.

However, the president’s former ally “categorically” denied any involvement in the plot, calling the accusation “insulting.”

Yildirim took aim at the US for hosting what he called “the leader of a terrorist organization.”

“Whichever country is behind him is not a friend of Turkey and in a serious war against Turkey,” he added.

Meanwhile, Turkey demanded the extradition of eight people thought to have been involved in the putsch who landed in a UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter in Greece.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES