Speaking via FaceTime on CNN Turk, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that his government is still in power after reports of an attempted military coup. He confirmed early rumors that the coup is an attempt by part of the Turkish army, writer Mahir Zeynalov reports.
"Those who attempted a coup will pay the highest price," Erdogan said, echoing Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim's earlier comments. He also called on his supporters to gather in streets and other public spaces and demonstrate their loyalty:
Erdogan was out of the capital on vacation when the coup took place; Haaretz reports that he said he would return shortly to fight to preserve his government. U.S military sources, however, have told NBC News that Erdogan is seeking asylum in Germany after being unable to land in Istanbul, where the Ataturk Airport has been closed.
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Editor's note: This post originally misidentified Erdogan's exact whereabouts. It has since been corrected. We regret the error.
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