ANKARA, July 17, 2016 (Xinhua) -- People gather to protest the coup attempt in Ankara, Turkey, July 16, 2016. At least 161 people were killed and 1,440 others wounded in the coup attempt, Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)
BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- After a failed military coup attempt in Turkey on Saturday which had reportedly claimed at least 161 lives and wounded 1,440 others, the international community has expressed support for the legitimately elected government and concern over the "spiral of violence."
CALL FOR RULE OF LAW
The United Nations, the United States and many others openly support the current Turkish government.
"I strongly condemn the attempt from groups in the armed forces to overthrow the government of Turkey and express my sincere condolences for the lives lost during the coup attempt," President of the UN General Assembly Mogens Lykketoft said on Saturday in a statement issued by his spokesman.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday reiterated the "unwavering support" of the United States for the democratically elected civilian government of Turkey.
In addition, Britian, Canada, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Iran, Pakistan and many others are among the countries applauding the return of rule of law in Turkey.
Apart from an official statement, thousands of Hamas movement supporters rallied Saturday in the streets of the Gaza Strip against the failed coup in Turkey and in support of Turkey and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
A few hundred Dutch Turks gathered on Saturday in the center of Rotterdam to demonstrate against the coup attempt in Turkey. Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders interrupted his trip to Brazil and returned to the Netherlands after being notified of the events in Turkey, according to a ministerial statement.
TRICKY U.S.-TURKEY RELATIONS
"I asked you previously either to deport him or surrender him to Turkey," Turkish President Erdogan said while again calling for the extradition of the U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara believes is behind the military coup. "I told you that he is considering the coup d'etat, but you didn't listen."
In the statement apparently addressed to Obama, one can easily sense somewhat of a complaint.
Moreover, Washington needs to clear the suspicion that it has played a role in the Turkish coup.
In a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that "public insinuations or claims about any role by the United States in the failed coup attempt are utterly false and harmful to our bilateral relations," U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
After the coup, Turkey sealed off the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey, where the U.S.-led coalition launched airstrikes against the terror group Islamic State (IS) in Syria.
Turkey and the United States were NATO allies in fighting terrorism, but the relations between the two have become tricky since Turkey recently repaired its relationship with Moscow, as Erdogan issued an apology to Russian President Vladimir Putin last month for shooting down a Russian warplane last fall.
"Please meet our request if we are strategic partners," Erdogan said in remarks delivered in Istanbul.
In response, Kerry "urged restraint by the Turkish government and respect for due process -- and its international obligations -- as it investigates and uncovers additional information about those involved."
Speaking earlier in Luxembourg, Kerry said the United States would consider Turkey's request for Gulen's extradition on condition that Turkey proves the cleric's wrongdoing.
In another development, Gulen was reported claiming he had no knowledge of the plot at his Pennsylvania compound, indicating potentially hard talks between Ankara and Washington.
DOMESTIC SITUATION
Even though the Turkish government had regained control of the country, calm and order remain to be restored there.
The United States on Saturday issued a warning for its citizens not to travel to Turkey. Moreover, it has suspended all flights between the United States and Turkey. Some other international carriers also canceled their service linking Turkey with the outside world.
In Turkey, as many as 2,839 Turkish officials and soldiers are now detained over suspected involvement in the failed coup, but Erdogan stated that "the Turkish army does not belong to the parallel structure."
The European Union, Russian and Italy all expressed similar concerns in the aftermath of the coup about a dangerous spiral of violence.
Thousands of protesters gathered Saturday in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir to protest the coup attempt, Hurriyet News reported.
Following the coup attempt in the country on Friday, Turkish officials called on the nation to continue to protest the coup attempt in squares and streets.
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Turkey closes airspace from which anti-IS airstrikes launched: Pentagon
WASHINGTON, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon said on Saturday Turkish officials had closed the airspace around a Turkish air base from which the U.S.-led coalition launched airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS).
"Turkish officials have stopped all flights into and out of Incirlik Air Base in the southwestern part of the nation. U.S. and coalition aircraft fly missions against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from the base," said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook in a statement. Full story
Turkey confirms 3 top commanders held hostage saved and sound
ANKARA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Three top commanders who were held hostage by the Gulenist coup attempters were saved on July 16, Defense Minister Fikri Isik announced on Saturday night.
"Our commander of air staff, naval staff and the second chief of general staff were saved from the Akinci Base where they were held and are in good condition," Isik told reporters in the capital Ankara, adding that it was early to say that the coup danger was completely over, while urging caution. Full story
