2016 Turkish coup attempt

On 15 July 2016, a faction within the Turkish Armed Forces, organized as the Peace at Home Council,^[33] attempted a coup d'état against state institutions, including the government and president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.^[34] They attempted to seize control of several places in Ankara, Istanbul, Marmaris and elsewhere, such as the Asian side entrance of the Bosphorus Bridge, but failed to do so after forces and civilians loyal to the state defeated them. The Council cited an erosion of secularism, elimination of democratic rule,^[35] disregard for human rights, and Turkey's loss of credibility in the international arena as reasons for the coup.^[36][37] The government said it had evidence the coup leaders were linked to the Gülen movement,^{[35][38][39][40][41]} which is designated as a terrorist organization by the Republic of Turkey and led by Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish businessman^{[42][43][44][45]} and a well-known Islamic scholar^[46][47][48] who lived in exile in Pennsylvania.^[49] The Turkish government alleged that Gülen was behind the coup (which Gülen denied) and that the United States was harboring him.^[50][51][52] Events surrounding the coup attempt and the purges in its aftermath reflect a complex power struggle between Islamist elites in Turkey.^[53][54]

2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt
Part of Turkish government–Gülen movement conflict
Abandoned military vehicle used during the putsch in Ankara, near the bombed building of Directorate of Police, 16 July
Date 15 and 16 July 2016 Location Mostly Ankara, Istanbul, Marmaris[1] Result Turkish government victory Coup d'état failed[2]
Belligerents
Peace at Home Council Elements of the Turkish Armed Forces Elements of the First Army[3] Factions of the Second Army[4] Presidential Guard Elements of the Third Army Elements of the Turkish Air Force[3] Elements of the Turkish Naval Forces[5] Elements of the Gendarmerie General Command[5] Gülen movement (per Turkey)[6][7] Supported by:  Egypt[8][9]  United Arab Emirates (per Turkey, implied in leaked e-mails)[10][11][12]  United States (alleged by some Turkish officials, denied by the U.S.)[13]	65th government of the Republic of Turkey and loyal state institutions Turkish Armed Forces[3] Turkish National Police Police Special Operation Department National Intelligence Organization Municipalities Pro-government protesters
Commanders and leaders
Fethullah Gülen (per Turkey)[14] Adil Öksüz[15] Akın Öztürk (POW)[16] Mehmet Dişli (POW) Adem Huduti (POW) Semih Terzi † Deputy Commander of the Special Forces Brig. Gen. Bekir Ercan Van (POW) İrfan Kızılaslan (POW)[17]	Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Binali Yıldırım Hakan Fidan Hulusi Akar (POW) Ümit Dündar Zekai Aksakallı Salih Zeki Çolak (POW) Bülent Bostanoğlu Abidin Ünal (POW)
Strength
8,651 soldiers 1,676 NCOs Non-commissioned officers 1,214 military academy students 74 tanks 172 armored vehicles 35 planes (24 fighter jets) 37 helicopters 3 warships[18][19]	97% of Turkish Armed Forces ranking officers[20] 66% of the military's top leadership
Casualties and losses
24–104 people killed,[21] 2 helicopters shot down (unconfirmed)[22] 22 died in prison[17]	67 pro-state forces killed (62 police officers and 5 loyal soldiers)[23]
179 civilians killed[23] 270–350 killed[23][24] and 2,185 wounded overall[25] After the end of the coup: 15,846 detained[24] (10,012 soldiers, 1,481 judiciary members),[26][27] of which 8,133 were arrested[27] 48,222 government officials and workers suspended[28][29][30] 3 news agencies, 16 TV stations, 23 radio stations, 45 newspapers, 15 magazines and 29 publishers were ordered to shut down[31] At least 93 educational institutes, associated with Gülen (per Turkey) were closed down[32]

Ankara

Istanbul

Marmaris

Adana

Bitlis

Denizli

Kars

Kocaeli

Malatya

Mersin

Sakarya

Şırnak

Image showing a coup attempt plot in Turkey's borders.

During the coup attempt, over 300 people were killed,^[35] and more than 2,100 were injured. Many government buildings, including the Turkish Parliament and the Presidential Palace, were bombed from the air. Mass arrests followed, with at least 40,000 detained,^[35][55] including at least 10,000 soldiers and 2,745 judges, for being affiliated with the coup attempt.^[56][57] 15,000 education staff were also suspended and the licenses of 21,000 teachers working at private institutions were revoked after the government stated they were loyal to Gülen.^[58] More than 77,000 people have been arrested and over 160,000 fired from their jobs, on reports of connections to Gülen.^[59][60][61]

There were many reactions against the coup attempt, both domestically and internationally. The main opposition parties in Turkey condemned the attempt,^[35] while several international leaders—such as those of the United States, NATO, the European Union, and neighboring countries—called for "respect of the democratic institutions in Turkey and its elected officials."^[62][63] Many international organizations also opposed the coup. The United Nations Security Council, however, did not denounce the coup after disagreements over the phrasing of a statement.^[64] Iran opposed the coup and advised Erdogan to defeat the coup plotters.^[65]

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the head of United States Central Command, General Joseph Votel,^[66][67][68] was "siding with coup plotters", after Votel criticized the Turkish government for arresting the Pentagon's contacts in Turkey.^[69][70][71]

In March 2017, Germany's intelligence chief said Germany was unconvinced by Erdoğan's statement that Fethullah Gülen was behind the failed coup attempt.^[72][73] The same month, the British Parliament's Foreign Affairs Select Committee said some Gulenists were involved in the coup d'état attempt but found no hard evidence that Fethullah Gülen masterminded the failed coup and found no evidence to justify the United Kingdom designating the Gülen movement as a "terrorist organization".^[74]