Al Sharq Strategic ResearchAbstract: The first confirmation that there was a coup attempt against the democratically-elected Turkish government was a military force taking control of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation headquarters and broadcasting a statement announcing that a coup had taken place. The statement included serious allegations about the democratic regime, saying that it was undermining both democracy and secularism in Turkey. In the same statement, the putschist faction within the military announced its control over the country and the establishment of the “National Peace Council” to manage state affairs. It also announced the imposition of a curfew in all parts of the country and pledged to set out a new constitution at the earliest possible opportunity.
Investigations showed that the military network behind the coup attempt had penetrated all the branches of Turkey’s armed forces—ground, naval and air—and were deployed all over the country: in the north, south, east, west, in Anatolia and in Europe.
During the coup’s first few hours, the putschists committed several mistakes and faced several factors which led to the failure of the coup attempt. It is clear, in any case, that the government aims at purging the defense department, the security department, and the state bureaucracy to eliminate the group that was spearheading the coup, which is the secretive Gülenist organization.