GETTY/ WORLD WATCH MONITOR Muslims protected churches during the Turkey military coup

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At least 265 people were killed and 1,500 injured in the attempted coup which saw a faction of Turkish troops attempt to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. The coup failed after crowds of government supporters answered President Erdogan's call to take to the streets and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks. As carnage swept the country churches were also targeted and Muslims rallied round to protect their Christian neighbours.

A gang armed with hammers and paving stones attacked the Santa Maria Church, until they were driven away by local Muslims

In Trabzon, on the Black Sea coast, a gang of about ten people armed with hammers and paving stones attacked the Santa Maria Church, until they were driven away by local Muslims. The attackers smashed the church's windows with paving stones and attempted to break in using hammers. The group of Muslims protected the church and called the priest during the unrest.

PH The attackers smashed the windows of the Santa Maria Church with paving stones

WORLD WATCH MONITOR A gang armed with hammers and paving stones attacked the Santa Maria Church in Trabzon

It’s not the first time the church has been targeted. In February 2006 Catholic priest Fr Andrea Santoro was murdered on the site. In Malatya, unidentified people tried to break the windows of Malatya Protestant Church smashing the glass panels in the doorway. The site is where three Christian workers were tortured and murdered in April 2007. Tim Stone, the pastor of Malatya Protestant Church, said he thought the attack on his church was just someone with a grudge against the church, taking advantage of the general unrest.

REUTERS Protestant churches have been repeatedly threatened and attacked during President Erdogan’s rule

REUTERS Civilians attacked surrendering soldiers after the coup

It’s unclear if the attackers were military rebels or government supporters. Religious leaders, including the Director of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, the Chief Rabbi Rav Izak Haleva, the acting Armenian Patriarch Aram Atesyan, Assyrian Orthodox Metropolitan Yusuf Çetin and Assyrian Catholic acting Patriarch Yusuf Sag condemned the coup. The rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Turkey has put Christians under increasing pressure and danger.

A look back on the shocking Turkish military coup that left 294 dead Wed, July 27, 2016 The violent military coup to overthrow Turkey's President Erdogan has 'failed' leaving at least 104 dead and more than 1,500 wounded Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 42 A police officer talks with the soldiers involved in the coup attempt after they surrendered