U.S. government sources said a coup attempt was under way in Turkey but it was unclear who was prevailing. Erdogan chafes at U.S. support for Syrian Kurdish rebels, who have close ties to Kurdish guerrillas fighting in Turkey. The United States called on all parties in Turkey to support President Tayyip Erdogan's government against a coup attempt on Friday as world leaders expressed concern about the upheaval in a NATO member country that bridges Europe and the Middle East. "The President and Secretary agreed that all parties in Turkey should support the democratically-elected government of Turkey, show restraint, and avoid any violence or bloodshed," the White House said in a statement. Erdogan has ruled Turkey since 2003 and if the coup against him is successful it would be one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years.

Source: Thanhnien News July 16, 2016 01:18 UTC