by Bill O’Grady

Last week, we began a three-part series on the attempted Turkish coup that started on Friday, July 15.  In Part I, we examined Turkey’s history to frame the historical conditions that affected the failed coup.  As promised, this week’s report will discuss the actual coup.

The Coup
Around 7:30 p.m. Eastern European Standard Time (EEST), there were reports that key bridges that cross the Bosporus had been closed by soldiers.  About 20 minutes later, military jets and helicopters were flying over Ankara and Istanbul.  Gunshots were also reported in the capital.  At 8:00 p.m., Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced a coup was underway and called for calm.  He indicated that a group within the military was behind the coup and noted that loyal security forces were being mobilized.  At 8:25 p.m., the rebels issued a statement indicating that the military was taking over to “protect the democratic order.”  The same statement indicated that Turkey’s existing foreign relations would be maintained.

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