Erdogan reasserts control as Turkey coup bid faltersANKARA: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan battled to regain control over Turkey Saturday after a coup bid by discontented soldiers, as signs grew that the most serious challenge to his 13 years of dominant rule was faltering. Soldiers also shot at protesters angrily denouncing the coup bid at Istanbul’s Taksim Square, injuring several. In a key moment in the standoff, Turkish security forces rescued the country’s top army general Hulusi Akar who had reportedly been taken hostage in the earlier stages of the coup bid. The attempted coup brought new instability to the Middle East region, with Turkey a key powerbroker in the ongoing Syria conflict. Officials insisted the putsch bid was falling apart with over 1,560 officers held and close to 200 unarmed soldiers at the Turkish military HQ surrendering.

Source: Manila Times July 16, 2016 07:18 UTC