Greece's defense ministry says seven military personnel and one civilian have landed there in a Blackhawk military helicopter and asked for asylum. Greece's defense ministry says a Blackhawk military helicopter carrying seven Turkish military personnel and one civilian has landed at the airport in the city of Alexandroupolis in northeastern Greece. The Turkish Cypriot leader says commanders of Turkish troops deployed in the breakaway north of ethnically divided Cyprus remain loyal to Turkey's military command and that the coup attempt has "no effect" on the Mediterranean island. Mustafa Akinci told Turkish Cypriot broadcaster BRT on Saturday that authorities "have taken a variety of precautionary measures to prevent provocations" in the north and that military commanders "are carrying out their duties within the chain of command." The head of the Turkish community in Germany is condemning the coup attempt in his homeland but says the government should take it as an opportunity to open dialogue with opponents. "The government would be well-advised to see this as a chance to talk with others," Sofuoglu said. Because the parties have not talked with one another for a long time. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said the country's security council on Saturday discussed "threats that might arise to Georgia" from the situation and said both land and air borders had been closed. Turkey's Anadolu Agency reports that authorities have issued an alarm to border gates and airports upon being informed that prominent members of the Gulen Movement, including journalists, might flee the country following the overnight attempted military coup. The report says authorities discovered the plans after lists were found detailing the commanders and their deputies to be put in charge during the period of martial law if the coup had succeeded. Turkey's acting chief of the general staff, Gen. Umit Dundar, said Saturday that the military is determined to purge members of the movement of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric living in exile in Pennsylvania, from the ranks. Spain's acting foreign minister, Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo, tells Spanish national television that his government completely supports the Turkish government headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. [...] the Gulf nation of Qatar, which has close ties to Erdogan's government, said it supports all legal measures Turkey's government takes to maintain security and stability. Turkey's Anadolu Agency is reporting that soldiers who have taken over the Chief of General Staff Headquarters as part of an attempted coup have requested negotiations to surrender. According to a Turkish official at the presidency, that is the last base the coup supporters hold. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is condemning the coup attempt in Turkey, calling on all parties to respect democratic order and avoid further bloodshed. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says he has spoken to his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, to underline support for Turkey's "democratic elected government and institutions" after an overnight coup attempt. Gen. Umit Dundar, the newly appointed acting chief of the general staff, said more than 190 people died in clashes: 41 police officers, two soldiers, 47 civilians and 104 people described as "coup plotters." Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as praising the "brave defense by the people of Turkey of their democracy and elected government." The Turkey-based Syrian National Coalition says in a statement that Turkey has protected its democratic institutions "in the face of dark and desperate attempts that sought to take control of the popular will." Turkey's state-run news agency says some 200 unarmed soldiers have left Turkey's military headquarters in the capital Ankara and have surrendered to police. Turkey's state-run news agency says military chief of staff Gen. Hulusi Akar has been rescued in an operation launched at an air base in the outskirts of Ankara. State-run Anadolu Agency is reporting 754 members of the armed forces have been detained across Turkey in the wake of the attempted coup. Anadolu says that at the Etimesgut armored units training command, in the outskirts of Ankara, some soldiers who took part in the coup attempt were arrested by fellow officers or soldiers and handed over to police. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, quoted by state-run Anadolu Agency, says security forces have "achieved results in many places" and defeated coup plotters. Turkey's state-run news agency says a military helicopter used by coup plotters has been shot down. Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman earlier said that a bomb hit one corner of a public relations building inside the parliament complex, injuring some police officers. Troops loyal to the government are moving to crush the coup attempt, arresting some 130 anti-government forces. A source at the presidency told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that 13 military officers who had earlier tried to forcibly enter the presidential palace were among those arrested. According to Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, the number of soldiers who were arrested in the coup plot has increased to 130. According to transcripts of the president's remarks provided by his office, Erdogan said that he arrived in Istanbul from the holiday resort of Marmaris, which was also been bombed after he left there. According to Erdogan, Turkey has a democratically elected government and president. Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman says a bomb hit one corner of a public relations building inside the parliament complex, injuring some police officers. [...] in Istanbul, an official at the president's office says more than 50 military officers have been arrested in Istanbul and large crowds have carried out multiple citizen arrests.
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