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Top airbase commander General Bekir Erkan Van is among those detained on suspicion of being complicit to Friday night's coup.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday vowed to take revenge against those who had plotted against him, saying they had committed treason.

Fighter jets dropped bombs near the Turkish presidential palace throughout Friday night and into Saturday morning.

Turkey's future was shrouded in doubt, with Erdogan forced to flee to a secure location, before police and government forces have appeared to regain control.

Among the 6,000 opponents arrested were ordinary soldiers and high-ranking officers and they could face the death penalty as Turkey considers reinstating capital punishment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to Erdogan in a phone call. The duo clashed last year when a Moscow jet was shot down for allegedly encroaching Turkish air space near its Syrian border.

President Assad has suggested the coup was staged by Erdogan, as Ankara issued an arrest warrant for the president's former military aide.

The president sent a text message to Turkish people to urge them to stand up for democracy and peace.

And today he has reitererated that message, stressing that the uprising was not a "12-hour thing".

Thousands of civilians took to the streets to block military tanks from rolling into the capital Ankara and Turkey's second city, Istanbul.

A total of 265 people — including police officers, civilians, government officials and 104 coup plotters — were killed and around 1,500 others wounded.

Turkish authorities removed 2,745 judges from duty following the attempted coup, according to national broadcasters.

The Foreign Office warned Britons to stay indoors, as foreign secretary Boris Johnson lent his support to the democratically elected government in Turkey.

(Image: AFP/GETTY/EPA) (Image: REUTERS)

At 11pm local time on Friday military forces intent on revolution blocked main roads around Ankara, positioned tanks across the city and stormed media outlets before claiming they had "taken control" of the country.

A military helicopter opened fire and multiple bombs were dropped on the parliament building.

A helicopter was reportedly shot down by police loyal to President Erdogen near Ankara.

Videos posted on social media appear to show crowds of people cheering as lines of tanks drive through Istanbul — opening fire on the Turkish parliament building and the airport.

And there has been cheering on the streets of Damascus as Syrians appear to celebrate the military's takeover.

Ataturk International Airport was closed for several hours during the violence.

Russian Airlines suspended regular flights to Turkey after an order from President Vladimir Putin. A Russian pilot died after his plane was shot down by Turkish military in November last year.

British Airways cancelled all flights scheduled to leave to and from Turkey on Saturday.

(Image: GETTY) (Image: AFP/GETTY)

A Turkish official who did not want to be named said soldiers were deployed in several cities — but did not specify which ones.

And the government has announced no charges will be pressed on soldiers who return to their posts and surrender arms.

Reports of gunfire and chaos were rife across the country.

The Foreign Office has advised British nationals in the area to "remain vigilant" and "avoid public places" as British Airways flights to Turkey have been diverted back to the UK.

(Image: GETTY) (Image: GETTY)

On Saturday morning, a Turkish military helicopter landed in northern Greece.

Eight men on board — suspected to be fleeing soldiers — requested political asylum but were arrested.

Turkey have asked for the soldiers to be returned to the country.

(Image: REUTERS)

President Erdogen said: "Some people illegally undertook an action outside of the chain of command.

"The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so."

He said Turkey's security services had been ordered to do whatever necessary to resolve the situation and warned those responsible would "pay the highest price".

(Image: AFP/GETTY)

Iran has since closed its borders to Turkey while British, American and French diplomats have advised their citizens to "remain vigilent".

Meanwhile, new UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he remains "very concerned" about the situation in Turkey.

He added officials were working hard to "do the best" for the many Britons in Turkey and urged them to follow the Foreign Office's updated travel advice, which continues to "strongly" urge holidaymakers and others to stay indoors.