Everything we know so far about the coup attempt in Turkey

Istanbul, 16. - (ANA) - Fighting has begun to die down in Turkey and the country's president has appeared on television following an attempted military coup that left dozens dead and more than a thousand injured.

Here is everything we know so far about the unrest that gripped Turkey's main cities of Ankara and Istanbul throughout Friday night.

The death toll rose throughout the night, with Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim reporting on Saturday morning that at least 161 people were killed during the coup attempt.

Explosions were reported at the Turkish parliament in the capital of Ankara. There was a helicopter attack on the police special forces headquarters, believed to have killed 17 officers.

Turkey's police chief, Celalettin Lekesiz, said 16 coup plotters had also been killed in the clash.

As well as the deaths, at least 1,400 people have been reported injured.

It was started by a section of Turkish military forces in response to government "authoritarianism".

urkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a small "clique" of the army were responsible for the uprising.

It follows a period of political turmoil in the country, which critics blamed on Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule, which has included a government shake-up, a crackdown on dissidents and opposition media and renewed conflict in the mainly Kurdish areas of the south-east.

Carlos van Meek, director of news at state news channel TRT, described the moment coup plotters stopped broadcasting and forced the channel to read out a statement saying the military aimed to seize control "to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated".

Eyewitnesses reported explosions, sonic booms and general confusion across the country.

British-Turkish writer Alev Scott, 29, described the moment low-flying jets started flying near her home - about 200 metres from Istanbul's Taksim Square, which was filled with soldiers and government supporters through the night.

She said: "When I got home I heard there was shooting. So then I was watching things from my terrace, watching the military vehicles on the Bosphorus Bridge and then these sonic booms started.

"It was just this huge rush of air, just incredibly loud and it felt like an explosion."

A Briton, known as Jack, who arrived in the country as events began to unfold, told Sky News that he asked military personnel what he ought to do, they told him they didn't know.

"We weren't allowed to go back to the airport, we weren't allowed to enter (popular tourist resort) Marmaris. We were just stuck roadside with the military. We were stuck."

While forces used tanks and military equipment to temporarily seize control of some areas, they appear to have been unsuccessful.

Erdogan, who spent much of the night in a secure secret location, spoke to a state-run news agency and a television channel via Face Time, asserting his authority and urging citizens to take to the streets and stand against the rebels.

Appearing in person on television on Saturday morning, he insisted that the government was in control and that those responsible for attempting to overthrow it will "a heavy price for their treason to Turkey".

At least 2,800 military personnel were reportedly detained following the fighting.

Britons have been urged to take extra care if travelling to or around Turkey.

On Friday night, the Foreign Office issued advice, warning people to "stay indoors, avoid public places, in particular demonstrations, and remain vigilant". The advice was still in place as the situation appeared to quieten down on Saturday.

British Airways cancelled all flights to and from Turkey for the day, offering affected customers the chance to rebook or request refunds.

Other carriers, such as easyJet and Turkish Airlines, have said that they are not planning any changes to their schedules, but will continue reviewing the situation.

World leaders have expressed support for the Turkish government.

New British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson took to social media to say that he was very concerned about the events in Turkey and had spoken to his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu to "underline UK support for the democratic elected government and institutions".

US president Barack Obama also urged all sides in Turkey to support the democratically elected government.

Turkey, a Nato member, is a key partner in US-led efforts to defeat the Islamic State group, and has allowed American jets to use its Incirlik air base to fly missions against the extremists in nearby Syria and Iraq. - (ANA) -

AB/ANA/ 16 July 2016 - - -