ISTANBUL—The Turkish military said it had seized control of the government, while the prime minister tried to assure the country that the government remained in charge.
The Turkish military said in a statement saying that it was “reestablishing constitutional order” and the country would abide by international agreements.
“Turkish armed forces, in order to reestablish constitutional order, democracy, rights and freedoms, rule of law, safety and security of the Turkish nation and the state, has taken over all governmental responsibilities of the Republic of Turkey,” the officer said, reading the military’s statement during a telephone interview.
Mr. Yildirim appeared on live television Friday night to say that segments of the military were trying to carry out a coup as troops closed off major bridges in Istanbul, tanks took up positions at the city airport and jets flew low over the capital. He said those trying to overthrow the government would pay a heavy price.
“The government elected by the people remains in charge,” said Prime Minister Binali Yildirim. “This government will only go when the people say so.”
Turkish troops closed off two major bridges over the Bosphorus Strait. Television footage showed military tanks outside Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport. Jets flew low over Ankara, witnesses said.
The coup attempt marks a stunning attempt to seize power from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the powerful Turkish leader who has effectively ruled the country since his Islamist-leaning political party took control of the country in 2002.
Markets with ties to Turkey fell sharply in late-day trade in New York on reports of the attempted coup. The iShares MSCI Turkey ETF, which tracks an index of Turkish securities and trades in the U.S., fell 2.5% at the tail end of the U.S. trading day.
