Turkey Coup: Turks Scramble to Withdraw Cash and Buy Food

By Mark Aserit
Turkey Coup
Turkish military discuss with people at the Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey, July 16, 2016. REUTERS/Murad Seze Reuters

Early Saturday, hundreds of soldiers armed with rifles took to the streets claiming they were in control of the government. CNN reported gunfire and explosions were heard near Taksim Square as people try to oppose military takeover.

Some Turks rushed to withdraw cash from banks and stockpile food and water, amid fears of potential government meltdown in the next few hours. People ran in different directions. Restaurant owners pulled down shutters and closed their store.

In a Facetime interview with CNN Turk, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged citizens to go to the squares of the capital of Ankara and Istanbul. The interview took place at 12:24 am local time in Turkey. The president did not say where he was speaking from.

The Guardian reported army vehicles are position on the streets of Istanbul, Turkey's second-largest city. Also, military vehicles are blocking two bridges which lead to the city's Asian and European sides. One of the soldiers filmed by passers-by said "It's a coup, go home."

Furthermore, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara reported explosions have been heard and shots have been fired in the capital of Turkey as the military try to take over the city. Some parliament and police office workers were injured in the bomb attack.

"We urge U.S. citizens to contact family and friends to let them know you are safe. We have seen reports that social media is blocked ... We encourage U.S. citizens to shelter in place and do not go the U.S. Embassy or Consulates at this time," The U.S Embassy said in a statement.

To control military uprising, a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down a helicopter high jacked by coup plotters. At the military's special forces headquarters, seventeen police officers were killed, according to state-run Anadolu news agency.

In CNN Turk's media center, a group of soldiers have taken over the news station. The soldiers also ended the station's broadcast on military coup attempt.

President Erdoğan blamed scholar and religious leader Fethullah Gulen, who is in the United States, for influencing military units to stage coup. "We categorically deny such claims," the Alliance for Shared Values, a group connected to Gulen, told in CNN.

A report from Associated Press said President Erdoğan confirmed his general secretary was kidnapped by coup plotters. There's still no information about the chief of military staff.

The same source from Associated Press added more than 50 military officers have been arrested and large groups of people have carried out citizen arrests.

We'll give more updates as soon as we know more.

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