Erdogan Visits General Staff HQ First Time Since Coup Attempt

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the headquarters of the Turkish General Staff in Ankara on Wednesday for the first time since last month's military coup attempt, local media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On July 15, Turkish authorities said that an attempted coup took place in the country. Over 13,000 people have been detained in connection with the coup.

The General Staff headquarters was among the primary targets of the coup plotters. In the wake of the attempt, Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar was taken hostage by a group of soldiers and delivered to Akincilar Air Base, thought to have been the headquarters from where the coup was planned.

According to the Daily Sabah newspaper, Erdogan was greeted by Akar, and the visit lasted for some 2.5 hours. Later in the day, Erdogan is also expected to visit former Gendarmerie Commander Gen. Galip Mendi, who remains hospitalized since the coup attempt.