Turkey military coup ends in favor of incumbent leader

A Turkish army faction backed by tanks and fighter jets was waging a coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday (local time), but the strongman returned to Istanbul defiantly claiming to have regained control.

The number of dead from a coup attempt in Turkey has risen to 90, the state-run news agency Anadolu reported on Saturday, adding that 1,154 people were wounded, according to AFP. Nearly 200 unarmed soldiers at the Turkish military headquarters have meanwhile surrendered, an official said, adding that special troops were currently securing the complex.

Earlier, Turkey's military announced on Friday night that army had taken over “the entire management of the country to restore rule of law” as the country's prime minister admitted an “attempt” by a group within the military.

A military statement read on Turkish state TV announced that martial law had been imposed across the country and a curfew had been declared. The statement added that Turkey was now being run by a "peace council" and that a new constitution would be drawn up soon.

But it’s still unclear as to whether the coup is successful.

“Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command,” Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in comments broadcast on NTV, a private television channel. “The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.”

Shortly after Yildirim spoke, the Turkish military issued a statement, according to the news agency DHA, claiming it had taken control of the country.

“Turkish armed forces seized the rule of the country completely with the aim of reinstalling the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to make rule of law pervade again, to re-establish the ruined public order,” the statement quoted by DHA said. “All the international agreements and promises are valid. We hope our good relations with all global countries goes on.”

The state-run Anadolu News Agency said hostages had been taken at military headquarters in Ankara, the capital, including the chief of staff.