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Sri Lankan PM expresses support for Turkish gov't

Xinhua, July 17, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his support for Turkey's elected government on Saturday as a coup attempt had been squashed by authorities earlier in the day.

Wickremesinghe said in a statement that foiling an attempt to overturn a democratically-elected government through a military coup would please all people who valued democracy.

He said he was happy to note that the president and prime minister of Turkey had been able to preserve democratic rule and assured the support of Sri Lanka and its people.

At least 2,800 military officers have been detained throughout Turkey after suspected coup plotters attempted to overthrow the government late Friday, using tanks and helicopters and blocking bridges and taking over some media outlets.

The Turkish government said on Saturday evening that the coup attempt had been thwarted and the situation was under control.

More than 200 people have been killed in the attempted coup, reports said. Endit