The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) issued a statement on its official website, saying that it has fully taken over the administration of the country in order to reinstate democracy and rule of law.
The TSK statement was disseminated to credentialed members of the press. Later in the day, Minister of Defense Fikri Işık announced that the declaration was neither valid nor officially issued by the TSK.
Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said earlier that there is an attempt of uprising within the military, adding that the government will make those responsible pay the price by using force if necessary, after gendarmerie closed off the two Bosphorus bridges in İstanbul.
Gendarmerie have shut down the Bosphorus Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge to traffic. In the meantime, jets and helicopters were seen hovering over the capital city of Ankara. Other reports claimed that soldiers have occupied the state-run Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) building.
