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1st LD: Celebratory gunshots reverberate across Syrian capital, after Turkey coup news

Xinhua, July 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Celebratory gunshots echoed in several districts in the capital Damascus on Friday evening following the news of a military coup in Turkey.

Heavy gunfire reverberated across districts of Damascus from military checkpoints, in what appeared to be a celebration for the military coup that took place in Turkey later on Friday evening.

Not only gunshots, some people took to the highway of the Mazzeh district in Damascus, celebrating the coup news.

In Turkey, a military coup took place with the armed forces announcing they have seized power, citing rising autocratic rule and increased terrorism.

The Turkish government of President Recep Tayyep Erdogan has emerged as one of the staunchest opponents to the government of President Bashar al-Assad throughout Syria's five-year-old conflict.

The Syrian government released endless statements, accusing the Turkish government of supporting the terrorist groups in Syria.

Turkey, under Erdogan, has allowed foreign fighters to cross its territory to reach Syria, with arms and ammunition being smuggled through the Turkish borders into Syria.

Observers in Syria, while refusing to give an immediate response to the coup news, said a new leadership in Turkey could largely help in bringing an end to the Syrian conflict.

Military experts, meanwhile, said the Syrian army and allied fighters could carry out sudden attacks on positions of the Turkey-backed militant groups to take advantage of the state of confusion. Endit