By CNN
The Turkish military has taken over the government and imposed martial law, according to an announcement read by an anchor on state broadcaster TRT.
The statement was made on behalf of the “Peace in the Nation” council, the announcer said. “The political administration that has lost all legitimacy has been forced to withdraw,” the anchor said.
Early Saturday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged people to take to the streets and stand up to the military during a coup attempt.
“Go to the streets and give them their answer,” he told residents during a Facetime interview on CNN Turk.
“I am coming to a square in Ankara. … This was done from outside the chain of command,” he said of the military. “Those who are responsible, we will give them the necessary punishment,” he said. It was not clear where he was speaking from.
Earlier, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told broadcaster A Haber that some military units have attempted a coup. Yildirim vowed the coup attempt would not succeed.
He told state news agency Anadolu the coup is “an attempt against democracy and the will of the people. Those who attempted this will pay the heaviest price.”
There have been no independent verification of the claims by the military or the government. It is unclear who is in charge in Turkey.
The military has issued statements, which have been published in some Turkish media, and not others, and reported by the Reuters news agency, claiming it has “fully seized control of Turkey” to maintain democratic order, that rule of law must remain a priority and international relations must remain. The statements have not been distributed through regular web channels.
A CNN producer said there were 200 to 300 residents in Taksim Square in Istanbul. Some of them were waving Turkish flags. About 100 police officers were shooting off tear gas, trying to disperse the crowd.
At least one army tank and one other military vehicle were at the square.
