Gunfire could be heard in the streets of Ankara on Friday (July 15) night as warplanes and helicopters roared over the Turkish capital.
Turkey's military said earlier it had seized power in the country, but President Tayyip Erdogan said the attempted coup would be put down.
The state-run Anadolu news agency said the chief of Turkey's military staff was among those taken "hostage" in the capital Ankara. CNN Turk also reported that hostages were being held at the military headquarters.
Outside the headquarters a helicopter flew overhead and opened fire at an unknown target. A jet could also be seen releasing flares.
In an statement sent by email and reported on TV channels, Turkey's military said it had taken power to protect the democratic order and to maintain human rights. All of Turkey's existing foreign relations would be maintained and the rule of law would remain the priority, it said.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the elected government remained in office.
If successful, the overthrow of Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would be one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming one of the most important U.S. allies in the region while war rages on its border.
