Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe expresses support for Turkish government

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, Xinhua news agency reported.

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.

Over 200 people have been killed in the attempted coup, reports said.