JAKARTA, July 16 (Xinhua)-- Indonesian government on Saturday expressed deep concerns over the ongoing political turmoil in Turkey where rebel group in the military attempted to launch a coup against the legitimate government, calling all nationals to stay alert to respond to the developing situation.
"Indonesia stresses the importance of respecting the constitution and the principles of democracy,"a statement released by the foreign affairs ministry said on Saturday.
The Indonesian government hopes that the situation in Turkey will quickly recover, the statement added.
Besides calling all Indonesian nationals in Turkey to remain alert, Indonesian government also advises nationals planning to travel to Istanbul and Ankara to observe and assess the security situation prior to their leaving for Turkey.
Currently, there are approximately 2,700 Indonesian staying in Turkey, with 800 and 400 of them staying in Istanbul and Ankara, respectively.
Citing the statements of Turkish officials, about 60 people died in overnight clashes. Many of them were civilians. Meanwhile, 754 rebel soldiers have been arrested, reports said.
In a live TV speech on Friday night, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the coup attempt was an act of treason and the army must be cleansed.
