Saturday, July 16, 2016

Turkey Coup Fallout

UPDATE:

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency says all soldiers involved in the attempted coup at the military headquarters in the capital, Ankara, have been taken into custody.

  Guardian
Original:

I won't swear to it, but I think this Sputnik News report that coup supporters have seized a Turkish frigate and taken the head of the fleet hostage is current.

Whether the coup is still petering out or completely over, there is, of course, ongoing fallout.
Turkish authorities have removed 2,745 judges from duty following the coup attempt, broadcaster NTV reported, citing a decision by the High Council of Judges and Prosectors (HSYK).

Five members of HSYK, Turkey’s highest judiciary board, were also removed, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

[...]

Reuters have released a statement from Gülen that says he “categorically denies” the claims that he orchestrated the coup, and argues power should be won through free and fair elections. He also reportedly said that Erdogan’s accusations were “especially insulting” as he suffered at the hands of multiple military coups in Turkey.

[...]

Prime minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday that legal changes would be considered to reintroduce the death penalty to deal with coup-plotters.

[...]

The head of the armed forces, General Hulusi Akar, who was reportedly taken hostage, has been freed.

[...]

Greece’s defense ministry has said a Blackhawk helicopter carrying seven Turkish military personnel and one civilian landed in the city of Alexandroupolis earlier Saturday. The passengers asked for asylum and were arrested for illegal entry into Greece.

[...]

In the first official statement on the issue, the [Greek] spokeswoman said the military aircraft had been accompanied by two fighter jets into Greek airspace and would be returned to Turkey as soon as possible.

[...]

“With regards to the eight arrestees, procedures foreseen by international law will be upheld although it is seriously being taken into account that in their country the arrested stand accused of violating constitutional law and attempting the overthrow of democracy.”

  Guardian
Also, the Turkish Armed Forces website is down.

Regarding the fact that coup soldiers had taken control of the Bosphorus bridge but have now surrendered, here's an explanation of the importance of that location:
The Bosphorus is one of world’s most important choke-points for the maritime transit of oil, with more than 3% of global supply – mainly from Russia and the Caspian Sea – passing through the 17-mile waterway that connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. It also ships vast amounts of grains from Russia and Kazakhstan to world markets.
To be continued...

No comments: