Turkey President returns to Istanbul amid military coup that left 17 cops dead, nation in chaos

An attempted military coup threw Turkey into chaos Friday, leaving the future of the country, already reeling from terrorism and mass migration, uncertain.

Explosions rocked the capital of Ankara, where smoke was seen billowing from the parliament building, as helicopters and military jets flew overhead.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned to Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport early Saturday morning, as government officials declared that the coup had ben repelled.

He said on Twitter that behind the military uprising would pay for their “treachery.”

As chaos unfolded late Friday, the president, an Islamist who ascended to power as prime minister in 2003, spoke to a television station via Facetime and said that the action was “an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces.”

Despite government officials statements, tt was not immediately clear who held real power in the Middle Eastern country, with Turkey’s military saying early in the night that it had “fully seized control.”

Martial law was declared, access to social media was limited, and a curfew was imposed by the armed forces attempting to gain control of the NATO-member country in battles with police.

Gunfire was reported as thousands who took to the streets clashed with camouflaged soldiers guarding checkpoints with tanks around the capital as well as in Istanbul, according to witnesses.

At least 42 people were reported dead, including  police officers, with state-run Anadolu Agency saying the people were killed in a helicopter attack on police special forces headquarters on the outskirts of Ankara.

An explosion was reportedly heard near a building that housed a state-run television station in the capital.

Military jets were heard flying over the city, and several checkpoints had been set up around the city as well as Istanbul, according to witnesses.

-Nydailynews