Attempted coup in Turkey

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Ousted by coup, Turkish President Erdogan becomes first Muslim refugee Germany won’t take

July 15, 2016 6:07 pm By Robert Spencer 18 Comments
Good to see that even under the disastrous Angela Merkel, Germany has some standards. The neo-Ottoman caliph and dismantler of Turkish secularism was too much even for the Germans. “Turkish president’s plane trying to land in Germany: Request denied!,” eTN Global Travel Industry News, July 15, 2016 (thanks to Paul): According to unconfirmed MSNBC reports, […]

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Live video: Military forces enter CNN Turk's building - CNN Turk on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cnnturk/vid...7294590890106/

Pro-coup forces or anti?

Turkish Parliament bombed CNN

Zero hedge reporting large explosions where erdogan is

[vector7]

Unconfirmed reports at an Istanbul hospital of 150 wounded people no confirmation of fatalities.

Sky new live feed:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y60wDzZt8yg

[vector7]

Gilgo ‏@agirecudi 1m
Erdogan says this attempt is a gift from God
... Because it gives him opportunity to cleanse the Army.
He says that live.


Gilgo ‏@agirecudi 1m
#Live. Erdogan says
the Army bombed where he stayed in Marmaris (holiday resort)
after he left tonight.


zerohedge ‏@zerohedge 2m
ERDOGAN: THE BEHAVIOR OF 'NEW TURKEY'
WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT
It will be a presidential republic

[vector7]

Saw this posted elsewhere…


It is going to get real ugly really fast now.

Erdogan just confirmed he will execute any soldiers who were involved in the coup. This means the vast majority of the coup soldier will now never surrender. They will fight to the death. Further, they will now open unrestricted fire on the civilian Erdogan supporters. And finally, the coup is by pro western, secular forces who will now be exterminated if they lose.

Obama has really done it this time. Putin is likely warming up the nukes right now. Putin will never allow a pro ISIS, Militant Islamic failed state in Turkey.

Turkey will now collapse into total civil war. Further, the coup soldiers will likely attempt to link up to the Kurdish forces in the southeast, or go over the border into Syria, or Iraq, or Iran.

We are going critical mass here. This has only begun. One F-16 fighter jet run can turn Istanbul in smoking rubble. I suspect the pro coup air force pilots will head for Russia which will rachet things up.

Sun Tzu says to never back your enemy into a no win situation. Erdogan has just GUARANTEED A BLOODY AND VIOLENT open warfare situation inside of Turkey. This minority he is talking about has armored and infantry units. It has F16 fighters. I expect large numbers of Erdogan supporter civilians to be bullet ridden corpses by morning. The pro coup guys have absolutely nothing to lose at this point.

Obama, well Obama just guaranteed an ISIS state called Turkey. I am also not ruling out direct military intervention by Russia, Iran or Syria, and especially not the Kurds. The Kurds have a window of opportunity to now take over all of southeast Turkey.

[Ryan Ruck]

If this is true, it might not be a bad thing that the increasingly Muslim/theocratic government is overthrown by the military.

[vector7]

WSB radio reported (at shortly after 4 pm when all this started) that Erdogan had at one time had a man PUT IN PRISON (or killed?) because he called Erdogan "Sauron" (from Lord of the Rings, for those who don't know).


This has probably also already been reported, but Erdogan was / is "Safe" in GERMANY---which figures---he and Merkel together, both big proponents of NATO.



UPDATES: A Military Coup D’etat Is Underway In Turkey – Recep Erdogan is President Obama’s BFF !!…

9:00pm Some Reports that Coup has failed / Others it has succeeded. Unfortunately, if coup did fail, that means the Islamists have won. If Islamists win, anticipate extreme backlash from a returning Recep Erdogan who will most likely go full dictator now.

Erdogan is notorious for punishing his enemies. Erdogan will probably open the floodgates for more Islamists to flow freely into the European Union to punish the secularists for their uprising.

Recep Erdogan will therefore have replaced former EU blackmailer Muammar Gaddafi using the exact same strategy, uncontrolled immigration, to punish his neighbors. The EU was previously paying Gaddafi €5+ million/yr to keep North African immigration under control. If coup fails it will be a very bad day for the EU, as Erdogan will now leverage his dictatorial power to force EU compliance with his wishes.

This fits the grandiose plans of Erdogan swimmingly. He desperately wants to recreate the Ottomoan Empire in his lifetime.

Babak Taghvaee ‏@BabakTaghvaee 2m
If the Turkish_Army coup fails,
Turkish_Air_Force THK
will disappear by Erdogan's regime.
Its commanders will be arrested & executed.

Babak Taghvaee ‏@BabakTaghvaee 2m
Again another THK/ Turkish_Air_Force's F-16 departed Akinci Air Base.

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Turkey's president blames coup attempt on Poconos cleric Fetullah Gulen

Members of Turkey's armed forces said they had taken control of the country, but Turkish officials said the coup attempt had been repelled early Saturday morning.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed the uprising on Fetullah Gulen, a retired Islamic cleric and former political ally, who once had a sizeable following in the Turkish police, judiciary and military.

The president has purged the police and judiciary of reputed Gulen sympathizers over the past two years, and had been due to hold a meeting of the body overseeing the military, the High Military Council. There were reports he was planning to oust anyone still linked with Gulen.

Here is The Morning Call's December 2013 profile on Gulen and his movement:

A reclusive Muslim cleric living in exile on a Monroe County farm denied claims by Turkey's prime minister that his progressive religious movement is behind a corruption probe designed to undermine the Asian nation's government.
Muslim cleric living in Poconos at center of lawsuit alleging human rights abuses in Turkey
Muslim cleric living in Poconos at center of lawsuit alleging human rights abuses in Turkey

Fethullah Gulen, who has lived near Saylorsburg since 1999, condemned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for characterizing the corruption probe as a Western plot to destabilize the nation.

Gulen, 72, who lives at the Golden Generation Worship Center in Ross Township, is seen by followers as a tolerant and moderating voice in global Islam.

He has made his life's work spreading the influence of Turkey, a moderate Muslim country on the boundary between Europe and Asia, through an international network of schools, including about 130 public charter schools in the United States, three of which are in Pennsylvania.
Coup attempt underway in Turkey

The crisis in Turkey, the most serious challenge to Erdogan in his 11 years as Turkey's leader, is seen as the result of a growing rift between Erdogan and Gulen, a former ally with quiet influence in the police and the judiciary.

Twenty-four people, including the sons of two ministers and the head of a state-owned bank, have been formally charged in connection with the corruption inquiry that Erdogan has called a "dirty operation" to weaken his rule.
In response, Erdogan has fired or moved to different posts about 70 police officers, including the powerful head of Istanbul's force, in a widening crackdown on the force that launched the investigation, Reuters reported.

Efforts to reach Gulen at the Golden Generation center on Monday were unsuccessful.

In a speech in Turkish posted on his website Friday, Gulen used strong language critical of Erdogan's response, the Wall Street Journal reported.
"Those who don't see the thief but go after those trying to catch the thief ... let God bring fire to their houses, ruin their homes, break their unities," Gulen said.

In a further statement on his website, Gulen denied any link to the probe and called on the government to let independent prosecutors and the judiciary investigate and adjudicate the charges. He said Erdogan's claims of an attack on the secular government were a strategy to distract the public from the corruption.

As many as 10,000 people protested Sunday in a central square in Istanbul, chanting anti-government slogans in response to the scandal.
Gulen's supporters in the Turkish AK Party share common ties with the religiously minded Turkish middle class that helped to elect Erdogan's government in 2002. For that reason, Gulen's influence is seen by some as a potential factor in national elections in March.

Gulen's movement in Turkey began in the 1960s, promoting religious tolerance and emphasizing the importance of science and education to a moral society.

According to a June congressional report on Turkey, Gulen condemns terrorism. He promotes dialogue between religions, and cross-cultural understanding. He teaches that Islam is compatible with modern democratic societies.

Critics in the United States, however, cast suspicion that Gulen's movement is a base to spread Islamic law, or Sharia.

In the charter schools connected to Gulen, including Truebright Science Academy in Philadelphia, no religion is taught. All emphasize science, math and technology.

Two years ago, the former principal of Truebright tried unsuccessfully to open a charter school in Allentown.

Gulen has said he would like to go back to Turkey but that his return might be used to stir political trouble, or that those who had persecuted him in the past might try to do so again. He left in 1999, shortly before the start of a case against him on charges of plotting to destroy the secular state and establish Islamic law.

He was acquitted but has lived ever since at the Golden Generation Worship and Retreat Center, constructed on 26 acres in a Poconos forest in the 1990s as a center for Turkish-American children.
Gulen, whose movement denied any involvement, now lives in exile in the Poconos, and Erdogan has tried, thus far unsuccessfully, to obtain his extradition to face allegations of supporting terrorism.

Link to source:
http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworl...715-story.html

[vector7]

If this is true, it might not be a bad thing that the increasingly Muslim/theocratic government is overthrown by the military.

Doesn't look good.




Gilgo ‏@agirecudi 4h4 hours ago Turkish soldiers arrested by Turkish police.






Gilgo ‏@agirecudi 1h1 hour ago This is a mosque. Pro Erdogan militias and policemen torture a Turkish soldier in a Mosque.

Syricide ‏@Syricide 18m
Weird thing is
these Erdogan-serfs think they are defending a democracy..
TurkeyCoup






Michael Wilner ‏@mawilner 36m Washington, DC
To be clear:
Military says Erdogan's power consolidation justifies TurkeyCoup.
Erdogan says coup justifies further consolidation of power.

Syricide ‏@Syricide 10m
Whatever happens now,
by tomorrow Turkey will be less free.
Adios.
TurkeyCoup

John Kerry ‏@JohnKerry 1m
I spoke tonight with FM Cavusoglu
& emphasized our absolute support
for Turkey's elected, civilian government & democratic institutions.

Gilgo ‏@agirecudi 1h1 hour ago Turkish soldiers killed by pro Erdogans.

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Markets | Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:01pm EDT
Related: Energy, Industrials
Authorities shut Istanbul's Bosphorus to tankers for "security reasons" - agent

Maritime authorities shut Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait to transiting tankers on Saturday "for security and safety" reasons, shipping agent GAC said, after what the government said was an attempted coup by a faction in the military.

Some cargo carriers like bulkers were still being allowed to travel through the key shipping channel which divides Istanbul into European and Asian sides, GAC said. A Reuters witness reported seeing no traffic at the southern mouth of the strait at daybreak. (Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; Editing by Nick Tattersall)

http://www.reuters.com/article/turke...rbssEnergyNews

[Brian Baldwin]

The Coup will fail unless the small faction heading it up gets Russia involved. (good chance it has already failed). Hard to say which way Putin would go if asked. He certainly doesn't fear Europe or America anymore because of the weak leadership currently in control, and as stated above, he would not much like having a radical islamic nation the size of Turkey on their border. It's been stated that Russia could defeat NATO in about 60 hours. I doubt that, but I do believe they could defeat NATO overall and fairly fast. That's not an issue with his decision. If you ask me that would be tantamount to grabbing a tiger's tail though IMO and there's the rub for Putin.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/mili...o-in-60-hours/

Don't know if the Kurds could actually take any significant part of Turkey with their ongoing issues with ISIS taking so much of their resources and the incredible lack of support they've received from the West. I'd be fine with the Kurds taking the whole of the Middle East to be honest, but that is a pipe dream.

Only way this coup could have succeeded is if they had killed Erdogan early on. They failed that and so they will lose the rest. Sad, but poor planning is to blame and likely some tattling from Obama's side. The West of course has to back Erdogan or they risk being seen as hypocrites considering the whole Islam is a peaceful religion mantra they've all adopted. (wouldn't want a Christian or Jew thinking the progressives actually could have a modicum of concern for their welfare). Not to mention, a successful coup could inspire many western nations to finally empty their own "trash". So look for the Turkish intel to have come from D.C. and possible involvement of NATO troops in the fighting against the Pro Coup forces at least in Instanbul. (my own suspicions).

Overall I'd say it was doomed from the start. At best they may be able to hold Ankara for a short time, but whispers are already on the wire for negotiations of surrender from the Pro Coup forces. /shrug

[vector7]

Conflict News þ@Conflicts 54m
BREAKING: Turkey’s top judicial body HSYK
lays off 2,745 judges after extraordinary meeting - @DailySabah

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Hürriyet Daily News ‏@HDNER 1h
Coup attempt shakes up Turkish judiciary with big shift


Hürriyet Daily News ‏@HDNER 39m
UPDATE:
Arrest warrants were revealed for 140 members
of the Supreme Court of Appeals
http://bit.ly/29XJDja



ilhan tanir ‏@WashingtonPoint 7h
AKParty VP Muezzinoglu:
we will open death sentence to a discussion
(Turkey lifted death sentence ~15 years ago)



Eric Trager ‏@EricTrager18 2h
Youm7: Egypt Muslim Brothers living in exile in Turkey
were commanded to join pro-Erdogan rallies:


Eric Trager ‏@EricTrager18 1h
Revenge fantasy: MB youth calls on Erdogan
to "cleanse" judiciary, restructure mil, close Gulenist media, etc.


Eric Trager ‏@EricTrager18 1h
Turkish security instructed Egypt's Muslim Brothers in exile
to cancel all activities for the next few days.


Eric Trager ‏@EricTrager18 37m
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood will study Erdogan's next steps,
which will become a playbook
should the MB ever get another shot at power.
#pts

Saw this posted elsewhere…

It seems the screw ups by the military, like not getting Erdogan first, may not have been screw ups. A social group I belong to has a lot of European and East European military and former military men in it. Opinion seems to be this was a fake coup engineered by Erdogan to eliminate any possible opposition in the future.
Just waking up but it seems he's basically installed an Islamic dictatorship now.

[vector7]

Turkish PM: Any country that stands by cleric Gulen
will be at war with Turkey

Sat Jul 16, 2016 6:11am EDT
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tu...-idUSKCN0ZW0K5



Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar, Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Interior
Minister Efkan Ala (LtoR) arrive for a news conference, following an overnight
attempted Turkish military coup, in Ankara, Turkey July 16, 2016.
Reuters/Stringer
Any country that stands by the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen
will not be a friend of Turkey and will be considered at war
with the NATO member, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim
said on Saturday.

The government said that followers of Gulen, who has been living
in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, were behind
the attempted coup by a faction of the military on Friday.

The government accuses Gulen of trying to build a "parallel structure"
within the judiciary, education system, media and military as a way
to overthrow the state, a charge the cleric denies.

[Ryan Ruck]

Great job on the updates vector! Admittedly I've been a bit distracted with being able to drive my truck around the last couple days and enjoying it.

The Coup will fail unless the small faction heading it up gets Russia involved. (good chance it has already failed). Hard to say which way Putin would go if asked. He certainly doesn't fear Europe or America anymore because of the weak leadership currently in control, and as stated above, he would not much like having a radical islamic nation the size of Turkey on their border. It's been stated that Russia could defeat NATO in about 60 hours. I doubt that, but I do believe they could defeat NATO overall and fairly fast. That's not an issue with his decision. If you ask me that would be tantamount to grabbing a tiger's tail though IMO and there's the rub for Putin.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/mili...o-in-60-hours/

I don't know... Erdogan and Putin have been pretty buddy-buddy. I would think he'd be most likely to prop up Erdogan like he's done with Assad.

Turkey should have been given the boot from NATO long ago for that reason.

Don't know if the Kurds could actually take any significant part of Turkey with their ongoing issues with ISIS taking so much of their resources and the incredible lack of support they've received from the West. I'd be fine with the Kurds taking the whole of the Middle East to be honest, but that is a pipe dream.

That's a good question and I think you're right on that.

Only way this coup could have succeeded is if they had killed Erdogan early on. They failed that and so they will lose the rest. Sad, but poor planning is to blame and likely some tattling from Obama's side. The West of course has to back Erdogan or they risk being seen as hypocrites considering the whole Islam is a peaceful religion mantra they've all adopted. (wouldn't want a Christian or Jew thinking the progressives actually could have a modicum of concern for their welfare). Not to mention, a successful coup could inspire many western nations to finally empty their own "trash". So look for the Turkish intel to have come from D.C. and possible involvement of NATO troops in the fighting against the Pro Coup forces at least in Instanbul. (my own suspicions).

Overall I'd say it was doomed from the start. At best they may be able to hold Ankara for a short time, but whispers are already on the wire for negotiations of surrender from the Pro Coup forces. /shrug

Based on what I've gathered I'm afraid you are right. Which is unfortunate because those who were undercover opponents have tipped their hand and will be purged.

As Omar said in The Wire, "If you come at the king, you best not miss."

I would also be completely unsurprised by part highlighted in red. We all saw the Obama administration do the same thing leaking info about Israeli air strikes on Syria as well as info on their nuke program to Iran.

[vector7]

Turkish PM: Any country that stands by cleric Gulen
will be at war with Turkey

Sat Jul 16, 2016 6:11am EDT
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tu...-idUSKCN0ZW0K5



Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar, Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Interior
Minister Efkan Ala (LtoR) arrive for a news conference, following an overnight
attempted Turkish military coup, in Ankara, Turkey July 16, 2016.
Reuters/Stringer
Any country that stands by the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen
will not be a friend of Turkey and will be considered at war
with the NATO member, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim
said on Saturday.

The government said that followers of Gulen, who has been living
in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, were behind
the attempted coup by a faction of the military on Friday.

The government accuses Gulen of trying to build a "parallel structure"
within the judiciary, education system, media and military as a way
to overthrow the state, a charge the cleric denies.


https://www.rt.com/news/351606-usa-i...urkey-blocked/


Access to air base housing US nukes in Turkey blocked, power cut off – consulate
Published time: 16 Jul, 2016 13:59Edited time: 16 Jul, 2016 14:44
Get short URL
Incirlik air base in Adana, Turkey © Murad Sezer
Incirlik air base in Adana, Turkey © Murad Sezer / Reuters
Movement in and out of the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey has been closed by local military authorities, according to the US consulate. The NATO base stores US tactical nuclear weapons.
TrendsCoup attempt in Turkey

"Local authorities are denying movements on to and off of Incirlik Air Base. The power there has also been cut," the US consulate in Adana said in a message.

"Please avoid the air base until normal operations have been restored," it added. No further details were provided.

According to CNN, airspace over the area has also been closed and power to the facility has been cut.

The closure of the airspace has reportedly led to a halt in US air strikes against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). CNN was told by sources that the Turkish authorities did make an exception for US aircraft that had already been deployed on missions before the airspace was shut and allowed them to land at the base.

The air space will be closed until Turkish authorities gain full control over the situation in the region following the coup attempt, Turkish officials told the US, adding that they want to make sure that all elements of the Turkish air force are under the control of pro-government forces, as some warplanes and helicopters were used by rebels overnight.

The Incirlik airbase is of critical importance to the US military, as not only does it facilitate the US’ aerial operations against terrorists in neighboring Syria and Iraq, but it is also one of six NATO sites in Europe that house tactical nuclear weapons. The exact number of tactical nuclear bombs at the base is classified, although some reports put it at 50.

A group within the Turkish military attempted to stage a coup on Friday night, using tanks and attack helicopters. The conspiracy failed, as they didn’t manage to capture any senior government officials and couldn’t win wide support from the Turkish military.

According to the Turkish Prime Minister, at least 265 people have been killed, including 104 pro-coup participants, while 1,440 people were injured in military action in Istanbul and Ankara overnight. Since the plot crumbled, 2,839 soldiers and officers involved in the coup attempt have been arrested.


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...irlik-air-base

Turkey Signals Cooperation With Russia Against Islamic State
Selcan Hacaoglu SelcanHacaoglu
Firat Kozok FiratKozok
July 4, 2016 — 4:46 AM EDT Updated on July 4, 2016 — 7:14 AM EDT
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Other nations use base to fight Islamic State, minister says
Denies signaling Turkey may let Russia Use Incirlik air base

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Turkey may cooperate with Russia in fighting Islamic State, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Monday, just days after the countries agreed to work to repair strained ties.

Cavusoglu denied signaling in an interview Sunday that Turkey may let Russia use southern Incirlik air base for operations in Syria.

“I said we could cooperate with Russia in the struggle against Islamic State from now on,” Cavusoglu said Monday. “I did not say anything regarding the arrival of Russian planes at Incirlik air base.”

On Sunday, he told state-run TRT television that “Turkey has opened its Incirlik air base for those who actively want to participate in the struggle against Islamic State. Why shouldn’t we also cooperate on this with Russia?”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, reacting to Cavusoglu’s remarks to TRT, told reporters on Monday that Russia would study the offer.
Mending Ties

Turkey has blamed Islamic State for coordinated attacks at the international airport in Istanbul on Tuesday that killed 45 people and wounded more than 200, ratcheting up the pressure for action against the militant group.

Ankara and Moscow have been trying to mend ties following Turkey’s downing of a Russian warplane during a mission over neighboring Syria in November. The confrontation had hurt the Turkish economy as Russia pulled back on tourism and agricultural imports, and deepened Turkey’s isolation in the region.

U.S.-led coalition forces, including Britain, Germany, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, currently use Incirlik to strike Islamic State targets in Syria. Turkey hasn’t participated in airstrikes over Syria since it shot down the Russian jet.

While Turkey classifies Islamic State as a terrorist group, it was late to seal its borders to jihadists crossing from Turkey into Syria, focusing instead on Kurdish militants and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as the primary threats to its national security. It worries that Kurdish territorial gains in the fight against Islamic State in Syria could embolden Turkish Kurdish PKK militants who have been fighting for autonomy in Turkey’s southeast since 1984.

[American Patriot]

Next time, they need russian help.

Sad it failed.

[vector7]

Say It Aint So ‏@SayIts_So 2h
@Ian56789
Where did all of these new Turkish flags come from
30min into a 3hr coup at 1:30am?

[Brian Baldwin]

I don't know... Erdogan and Putin have been pretty buddy-buddy. I would think he'd be most likely to prop up Erdogan like he's done with Assad.

Turkey should have been given the boot from NATO long ago for that reason.

Apples and oranges. Assad isn't the Muslim brotherhood or ISIS so he would want him to stay in power for those borders. Erdogan is already an extremist in power so for now he stays friendly, but with the chance to really oust him I'm sure the temptation would be there. Again these are my own observations and I think they're fairly accurate. Though as with any kind of prognostication you really just end up speaking out of your ass as often as not. lol I would have liked to see the the Coup win out there. U.S. forces and Turkish forces often saw eye to eye when it came to personal freedoms and the rule of law. Guess not so much with Turkey anymore though.

[Ryan Ruck]

BREAKING: Turkey Seals Off Incirlik Air Base Used By US to Fight ISIS – Power Cut

Incirlik Air Base in Turkey has been placed on lockdown. The base is used by US, UK, Saudi and Turkish forces to run airstrikes against ISIS.

July 16, 2016

The power at the base was reportedly cut off after the coup attempt Saturday morning in Ankara and Istanbul.

And flights are grounded.

Pentagon Says Flights From Incirlik Air Base Still Grounded @nytimesworld https://t.co/7Qn31vp5tY

— Christian Thiels (@ThielsChristian) July 16, 2016

The Erdogan government believes the air base was used to launch attacks during the coup attempt last night.

UPDATE: Turkish official: Gov't has suspicions Incirlik Air Base used to refuel aircraft used in coup attempt. - @DionNissenbaum

— Conflict News (@Conflicts) July 16, 2016

Deutsche Welle reported, via American Survival Guide:

The US consulate in Turkey says the Incirlik air base has been placed in lockdown.

The base is used by the US-led coalition, including Germany, to launch airstrikes against “Islamic State.”

A message on the website of the US consulate in Adana said Saturday that “local authorities were denying movements [onto] and off of Incirlik air base.” It advised US citizens to avoid the facility until normal operations had been restored.

The sealing-off of the facility, which houses as many as 80 nuclear bombs, follows a coup attempt by a faction within Turkey’s military a day earlier.

It is unclear whether aircraft from the base were hijacked by coup plotters during the overnight events. According to Turkish government officials, the jets were used to attack key buildings, including the parliament building in Ankara.

A US defense official later told Agence France-Presse that military operations against IS had been suspended due to the lockdown and a closure of the airspace.

The base is used mostly by the US, Turkish, UK and Saudi air forces. Germany has also deployed some 400 soldiers to the facility.

That whole base needs shut down, all of the personnel need evac'd, and all of the facilities and runway need demo'd on the way out.