Massive “pro-democracy” march in Turkey after 265 die in failed military coup
A faction of the Turkish military’s bid to seize power on Friday night is effectively in tatters.
The coup failed thanks to military officers loyal to President Tayyip Erdogan and to the apparent will of the Turkish people to remain under democratic rule.
Hours after the dissident military faction announced it had seized power, people stormed the streets and wrest loaded weapons from soldiers who were obviously under orders to strike fear in the heart of the public.
Erdogan, who restricts the use of social media and similar platform, took to FaceTime to assure people he was safe urging them to resist the coup attempt and retake their country.
“Ordinary” civilians were seen teaming up with police to arrest soldiers as the coup plot failed fantastically.
A Turkish official said 265 people were killed in the clashes that took place after as the “real” military tried to regain power from the coup plotters. Some 1,440 people were reportedly wounded.
No less than 104 coup plotters were reportedly among those killed. The civilian casualty remain unknown.
Erdogan said 2,839 coup plotters are being detained as “everything is now under control”.
Tensions, however, remain high in Turkey as tens of thousands marched in solidarity with the president on Saturday night.
The failed coup is being blamed on moderate Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen who has denied any involvement.
After the plot failed, some Turkish soldiers reportedly fled to Greece..
