Armed Nation: Number of Weapons Held by Turkish Civilians Grew by 10% in 2017

The number licensed weapons belonging to the Turkish civilians in the first three months of 2017 rose by 10 percent to 338,052 items in comparison with 2016, media reported Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to Hurriyet Daily newspaper, citing the Turkish Ministry of Interior, Istanbul's residents hold the highest number of renewed, newly-bought and transferred licensed weapons, which is amounting to 71,202 items.

The number of weapons held by the Turks in 2011 was 614,440, however it rose to 692,921 in 2016, the newspaper said. The number includes the weapons held by public servants and retired public servants. The overall number of 308,296 weapons belonged to civilians in Turkey at the end of 2016, the reports added.

According to the Turkish lawmaker Aylin Nazliaka, cited by the newspaper, the increased number of weapons held by the civilians is caused by the calls of the politicians and pro-government activists on the Turks to arm themselves after the failed coup.

"The only solution to preventing individual arming is justice and the healthy functioning of a state of law with all its institutions and laws. Individual arming can only bring pain," Nazliaka said.

The failed coup took place in Turkey on June 15, 2016. Ankara has accused Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen of masterminding the government takeover, whereas the cleric himself, who currently lives in exile in the United States, has denounced the allegations.