"The power in the country has been seized in its entirety," said a military statement quoted by Turkish media. The Bosphorus and Fatih bridges were closed by the gendarmerie -- a branch of the Turkish military dedicated to internal security -- for traffic travelling from Asia to Europe, NTV television said. Ankara (AFP) - Turkish troops launched a coup Friday, with soldiers taking to the streets of Ankara and Istanbul as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed the putschists would pay a "very heavy price". Reactions were swiftly pouring in from around the world, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calling on Turkey to avoid all "bloodshed". - History of coups -Turkey has a history of coups, with governments ousted on three occasions by full military coups since 1960.

Source: The Star July 15, 2016 22:18 UTC