WarSclerotic

DEBKAfile reports that 42 Turkish Air Force planes have vanished with their crews and ordnance – and so has the pair of F16 warplanes which bombed parliament in Ankara and nearly intercepted the incoming flight carrying President Reccep Erdogan back home Saturday. Their disappearance appears to be prompting the president and prime minister to urge citizens to continue turning out in town squares support of the government, in case the coup threat is not over.

Hundreds of police descended Monday on the big Incirlik air base which houses the US jets which carry out air strikes over Syria and Iraq, along with thousands of US air force personnel and their families.

Former Turkish air force commander Gen Akin Ozturk was quoted by the state news agency Anadolu as having confessed to interrogators that he “acted with intention to stage a coup.” He was shown with several injuries to his head and upper body. Ozturk was one of 70 generals and admirals who were detained. Eleven had so far been placed under arrest. More than 8,000 police officers were also suspended and forced to hand over their weapons.

A sweeping purge of state institutions has been underway since Erdogan took charge Saturday