AP Explains-Turkey-Military Coup

FILE - In this May 28, 1960 file photo, citizens stand at a newsstand read of the capture of Prime Minister Adnan Menderes after a military coup, in Istanbul, Turkey. The attempted coup unfolding in Turkey is surprising to many observers who had thought the days of military intervention in politics were over. The military staged three coups between 1960 and 1980 and pressured a premier out of power in 1997. In 2007, the military threatened to intervene in a presidential election and warned the government to curb Islamic influences, but the action backfired and the civilian government exerted more influence over the armed forces after that. (AP Photo)