Turkish PM’s convoy targeted by gendarmerie on coup attempt night, Interior Minister confirms

“Coup attempters targeted Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım’s car as well,” Ala said.

According to the sources, a car in Yıldırım’s convoy was fired at, allegedly by a gendarmerie vehicle, within the borders of the northern province of Kastamonu as he was passing through during his urgent trip to Ankara to control the crisis situation on the night of the deadly coup attempt by a faction within the military.   

According to the reports of the incident, which Ala has also confirmed, Yıldırım preferred to travel by land due to the risks of air travel and as the clashes in Ankara intensified his convoy took an alternative land route through Kastamonu. Surviving the attack, Yıldırım was taken to a district governor’s home, which he used as a headquarters to monitor developments throughout the night. He was hosted there until the security situation in Ankara returned to normal.