22 July 2016•Update: 22 July 2016
By Sabri Kesen
MUGLA, Turkey
Gendarmes in southwestern Turkey have seized weapons thought to have been used by pro-coup troops who stormed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s holiday hotel, security sources said on Friday.
According to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the equipment -- including 12 assault rifles, six cartridge clips and three grenades, were found in a forested area near the Grand Yazici Marmaris Hotel outside Marmaris, where the president had been staying on the night of July 15.
In an earlier operation on Monday, gendarmes also seized assault rifles, handguns, grenades, ammunition, helmets, body armor and night-vision gear near the hotel.
An operation is still underway to capture the helicopter-borne troops who attacked the hotel on Friday night a short time after Erdogan had left the area for Istanbul after being alerted to the coup attempt.
Two police officers were killed in the ensuing gun battle and seven others were injured.
In last Friday's deadly coup attempt, at least 246 people were martyred and over 2,100 injured.
Turkey's government has said the attempted coup was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating into Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as a parallel state.
* Burcu Arik contributed to this report from Istanbul.
