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Thousands of Ankara residents come to protect president’s complex — President’s website

Earlier, Erdogan called on people in the streets "to continue rallies in protection of legitimacy and democracy and not to leave the streets of Istanbul and Ankara until night"

ANKARA, July 16. /TASS/. Thousands of people have gathered in front of the Bestepe mosque at the presidential complex in the Turkish capital of Ankara to protect it from attacks of supporters of the opposition leader Fethullah Gulen, according to a statement published on the website of the Turkish President.

"Citizens are gathering near the People’s mosque of Bestepe at the presidential complex to protect democracy after the coup attempt by a group of betrayers, who are members of FETO/PDY (Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Structure) has failed," the statement said.

Earlier on Saturday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on people in the streets "to continue rallies in protection of legitimacy and democracy and not to leave the streets of Istanbul and Ankara until night."

On Saturday, the country's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that the coup attempt was inspired by the members of the pro-Islamic Hizmet movement, which is in the opposition to Erdogan.

The Hizmet movement is related to Islamist Fethullah Gulen who is residing in the US. Ankara accuses Gulen of destabilization of the situation in the country in summer of 2013 and other attempts of undermining people’s trust in the government.

Gulen’s supporters ruled out accusations they are involved in the events in Turkey. In a statement they called the accusations "highly irresponsible."

A group of insurgents staged a military attempt coup in Turkey on the night from Friday to Saturday. According to recent official data 161 people died, and 1,440 got injured. This does not include casualties among the coupists.