Erdogan orders F-16 patrol flights across Turkey

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday instructed military combat planes to conduct patrols across Turkey, two days after F-16s and choppers flew above the country in a failed coup attempt.

The patrol flights are being conducted for airspace control and security purposes as per Erdogan’s instructions.

F-16 combat jets were used by coup leaders late Friday and Saturday morning to attack the parliament building and near the presidential complex.

Rogue military elements made a “vile” attempt to overthrow Turkey’s democratically elected government, according to Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, and caused the martyr deaths of at least 164 individuals in the ensuing violence.

Some 2,839 military personnel linked to the coup attempt have been arrested, and 20 pro-coup soldiers, including senior officers, were killed.

An Ankara court decided late Sunday to detain 19 military personnel, including the Commander of Akinci 4th Main Jet Base, Brig. Gen. Hakan Evrim; Northern Istanbul Naval Area Commander Vice Adm. Omer Faruk Harmancik and pilot, Staff Lt. Col. Murat Karakus, who were arrested on coup attempt charges.