ANKARA
- Turkey's prime minister said on Saturday that at least 161 people
were killed and 1,440 wounded in the coup attempt that swept the
country on Friday night but was foiled by Saturday morning.
Binali Yildirim was speaking outside his Cankaya palace in Ankara and
accompanied by top general Hulusi Akar who was held during the coup
attempt.
As many as 2,839 soldiers are now detained over suspicion of
involvement in the failed coup.
"Those who form the backbone of the coup have been taken
into custody and arrests are still being made," Yildirim
said.
He vowed to consider enacting a death penalty, which is not included
in Turkey's constitution, "to make sure this will not happen
again."
The prime minister added that a parliamentary meeting will be held
later in the day to discuss the coup attempt.
He warned any country against supporting Islamic cleric Fethullah
Gulen, whose followers are blamed for the coup.
A country that will stand by cleric Gulen won't be a friend of Turkey
and will be considered at war with Turkey, he pointed out.