İstanbul is under occupation

Another important point in Istanbul that the putschist soldiers planned to capture was Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB). At 23:00 the putschist soldiers appeared in front IBB and started to deploy around the building. IBB Civil Defense Secretary Mehmet Tunç, who welcomed the putschist soldiers at the entrance, got some meal prepared for the soldiers. The tanks coming from the 66th Armored Mechanized Infantry Brigade to raid Istanbul Police Department Headquarters, which is at walking distance to IBB, were blocked by the roadblock set by the police forces and citizens with earth moving trucks. In the meantime, 69 putschist soldiers of which 9 were military officers from the 47th Motorized Infantry Regiment Command appeared in front of AK Party Istanbul Provincial Directorate. The Plotters attempted to take over AK Party Provincial Directorate building. Putschists, who started to simultaneously occupy the points that are important for them, occupied Istanbul Governate at 23:11 and Taksim Square at 23:20. Istanbul Stock Exchange was occupied at 23:44 while a group of soldiers took action simultaneously and captured TRT Istanbul Radio in Harbiye. At 23:55 they captured the flight control tower at Atatürk Airport. At 23:44, the soldiers who gathered in front of Sakarya Governorate entered the building. Armed soldiers checked the rooms one by one.