ANKARA - Thousands took to the streets of Turkey in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after authorities crushed a military coup that claimed at least 265 lives. With the coup defeated, Turkey rounded up its backers, from rank-and-file soldiers to generals, fuelling concern over the risk of summary justice. But the US government said it has suspended all flights to Turkey, and banned all airlines from flying to the United States from Turkey due to uncertainty after the coup bid. Turkey's once-powerful military has long considered itself the guardian of the secular state founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923. Describing the attempted coup as a "black stain" on Turkey's democracy, Yildirim said 161 people had been killed in the night of violence and 1,440 wounded.

Source: Bangkok Post July 17, 2016 00:56 UTC