Turkish authorities began rounding up military officers after a failed overnight coup to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that saw tanks blockading roads, soldiers fighting police and warplanes bombing the parliament in Ankara.
Promising swift retribution, Erdogan, who arrived at Istanbul’s international airport at about 6:30 a.m. local time from the Aegean coastal resort of Marmaris, blamed followers of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, a one-time ally-turned nemesis. “They will pay a heavy price for their treason,” he said. A group backed by Gulen condemned the coup attempt in a statement.
ASKERİ DARBE ÖNLENDİ: Boğaziçi Köprüsü'nü kapatan askerlerin teslim olma anı https://t.co/6y5AvN9XTJ pic.twitter.com/BvfpGlfKUd
— NTV (@ntv) July 16, 2016
Generals were among more than 2,800 military personnel arrested during raids on Saturday, after clashes that left almost 200 dead, including several dozen coup plotters. Streets in the capital Ankara and Istanbul, the biggest city, were virtually deserted, with most shops shuttered. Most international flights were canceled.
