Competing claims of power in Turkey coup attempt

Reuters:
Turkey's military said on Friday it had seized power, but the prime minister said the attempted coup would be put down.

If successful, the overthrow of President Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would amount to one of the biggest shifts in power in the Middle East in years.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the elected government remained in office. There was no immediate word from Erdogan. The Turkish sister channel of CNN said he was "safe".

The armed forces had taken power in the country to protect the democratic order and to maintain human rights, the military said in a statement sent by email and reported on Turkish TV channels. All of Turkey's existing foreign relations would be maintained and the rule of law would remain the priority, it said.

The state-run Anadolu news agency said the chief of Turkey's military staff was among people taken "hostage" in the capital Ankara. CNN Turk also reported that hostages were being held at the military headquarters.

Turkey, a NATO member with the second biggest military in the Western alliance, is one of the most important allies of the United States in the fight against Islamic State.
...
Under Erdogan, Turkey has been a lousy ally.  Erdogan has shown sympathies for Islamist causes and has given safe haven to the leaders of the Hamas death cult.  Turkey has also been less than helpful in the fight against ISIL.

Earlier in his tenure, Erdogan had removed several top military officers in hopes of preventing such a coup.

The AP has reported that the army claims to be in complete control.  Elements of the government appear to be disputing that claim still.

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