Türkiye warns of risk of second coup

Türkiye's president said yesterday that he did not believe the July 15 coup attempt was the final act in an effort to overthrow the country's government.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: Turkish Presidential Press Office

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also announced that he would step up measures against the Fethullahists, an organization led by US-based exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan said that Gulen was behind the failed coup attempt in mid-last month in Türkiye, Sputnik reported.

"I don't believe the coup attempt is over. But we will never give in," Erdogan said earlier at a press conference in Istanbul.

Here, President Erdogan also denied the information that his plane was targeted by F-16 fighter jets of the coup faction on the night of July 15, putting his life in danger. Different from the reason given by the media that the coup faction's plane ran out of fuel and had to land, unable to continue tailing him, Mr. Erdogan said that, in fact, the enemy plane did not have bombs to attack him.

More than 200 people were killed and about 1,400 injured in violence on the night of July 15, when a group of soldiers operating tanks, attack helicopters and fighter jets attempted a failed coup. Tensions remain high in Türkiye as the country's authorities are purging many suspected coup supporters in state agencies and the military.

Ankara on August 4 issued an official arrest warrant for exiled cleric Gulen on charges of leading the coup.

According to VNE