Soldiers in support of a military coup in Turkey briefly took over the offices of CNN Turk, CNN’s sister channel headquartered in Istanbul, on Saturday morning.
One journalist was reportedly shot during the raid, according to BuzzFeed News Middle East correspondent, Borzou Zaragahi, citing a senior Turkish official.
The channel has since returned to the air, after pro-government protesters retook the building.
CNN Turk stopped broadcasting for nearly an hour, showing only a live-shot of the empty CNN Turk studio. Employees began broadcasting the raid on Facebook Live soon after being forced out of the studio.
“We don’t know how much longer we can continue our broadcast” CNN Turk anchor reportedly said on the air as soldiers entered the offices.
The Turkish military apparently staged a coup on Friday night, deploying military onto the streets of Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey’s largest city and capital, respectively.
CNN Turk is a joint-venture between Turner Broadcasting — CNN’s parent company — and the Doğan Media Group, a major Turkish media conglomerate. Launched in 1999, CNN Turk is operated by local journalists in Turkey, who licence the CNN name.
Gunfire and explosions were heard on the Facebook Live stream, as well as video of soldiers forcing employees to leave the building.
Pro-government protesters entered the offices not long after the raid, eventually retaking the offices from the coup-supporters.
Apparently pro-government protesters could heard shouting “Allahu akbar” on the CNN Turk broadcast and, at one point, a man reportedly shouted a pro-government slogan on the air.
Here’s the live broadcast of CNN Turk, which has since returned to normal:
Employees at CNN Turk broadcasted the take-over on Facebook Live. Watch below:
And here’s other related Tweets on the raid:
CNN Türk Gen Dir @aktaserdogan reports civs from outside have entered the building and there is a struggle ongoing. pic.twitter.com/gppPVANL3R
— CNN Türk ENG (@CNNTURK_ENG) July 16, 2016
“ALLAHU AKBAR” voices heard in CNN Turk broadcast as what it seems like pro-govt protestors storm army seized TV station
— Fercan Yalinkilic (@FercanY) July 16, 2016
“We don’t know how much longer we can continue our broadcast” says @CNNTurk anchor as soldiers enter studio https://t.co/NcCFaICe3W
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) July 16, 2016
Eerie live shot of the empty @CNNTurk studio pic.twitter.com/FdUqP9ntgA
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 16, 2016
Shouts are heard at CNN Turk while broadcasting. CNN Turk says its at Dogan Media Center pic.twitter.com/Xo1BEOev2I
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) July 16, 2016
PHOTO: CNN Turk airing shot of studio after anchor is forced out of the studio by soldiers pic.twitter.com/2Y9r7hL444
— BNO News (@BNONews) July 16, 2016
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