by Love and Rage Team/Trending

News has broken that a few hours ago a potential coup is happening in Turkey as people reported fighter jets flying low overhead, tanks in public squares, incidents of the military disarming police and a video on Twitter which shows a Turkish soldier alleging that the situation is not a joke and that it is a legitimate military coup.

While reports had been surfacing about losses of Internet throughout the country, Love and Rage was able to get a very brief depiction of events from a source within the country. For the safety of that source, the discussion was limited to major events and the mood of the people.

With martial law having been declared on the streets throughout the country, people are hoping that there is minimal damage to civilians. Nobody wants bloodshed, alluded our source, adding that the people are hurt enough already. The Turkish state has been the subject of several human rights-related controversies and inquiries in recent decades.

Also according to our source, many suspect that the coup is the product of Fethullah Gulen, a former imam, writer and Turkish political figure who has sought self-imposed exile in the United States after being implicated in helping to bring up corruption charges against the Turkish president in 2013. Gulen is listed on Turkey’s most-wanted terrorist list and is alleged by the state to be a leader of the Gulenist Terror Organization (FETO). Turkey, an ally of the United States, has called for his extradition since he arrived in the US.

Despite Gulen’s role in the future of the Turkish state, which he had been a direct participant for many years, the people were reporting that the weren’t sure who was behind the coup.

Other opposition groups of Kemalists, who favor westernized secular democracy in the tradition of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president of Turkey, have also been hinted at being responsible.

As Erdogan, utilizing either Skype or Facetime, addressed the nation earlier, confirming the coup and declaring that those responsible will be punished, he allegedly urged his supporters throughout the country to take up arms against the military and in further reports, it seems that at least some people have taken up that call to defend Erdogan’s regime. But as The Mirror reports, the situation seems to be “deteriorating rapidly“.

The Turkish military have since release the following statement:

“Turkish Armed Forces have completely taken over the administration of the country to reinstate constitutional order, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and the general security that was damaged. All international agreements are still valid. We hope that all of our good relationships will all countries will continue”.

For the nation’s beleaguered Kurdish minority, a trepidatious period awaits. Having faced intense repression by Erdogan’s government and military in the south and west of the country, it is hoped that any new such government will not be worse.

For now, the military reports that day to day operations will be under the guidance of a “peace council” as they draw up a new constitution.

We will be following this story as it develops in the future.