4 Ways Turks Stopped Tanks During The Failed Coup

“How do we stop a tank?” was not a question that many Turkish civilians considered before the failed coup attempt on July 15.

Quick thinking, improvisation and sheer determination by civilians in a desperate situation answered this question as thousands stood together to stop a coup from taking place.

Unable to reach rebel helicopters and fighter jets firing at them, civilians took on their biggest threat within their reach, army tanks which had blocked off key locations around Ankara and Istanbul.

Braving the circumstances, here are four ways which Turkish civilians used to stop tanks:

1) Lay Down in Front of Tank

Considered as one of the bravest and most daring acts, Some Turkish civilians put their lives [and bodies] on the line to bring tanks to a halt.

When the attempted coup had begun, it became evident that many soldiers were not yet killing civilians.

So, 40-year-old medical student Metin Dogan, did not hesitate to place his body down in front of a moving tank.

Once the tank stopped, Dogan told the soldiers inside, “I’m a Turkish soldier. I’m a soldier of this nation, which soldiers are you?”

2) Covering Windows and Cameras

Unarmed civilians jumped onto a tank and used flags to cover the tank’s windows and cameras.

This obviously caused the tank to stop moving as the rebel soldiers controlling it had no view of the outside.

Locked in a cockpit of an army tank with no view of the outside and also outnumbered by civilians and police, the rebel soldiers had surrendered.

3) Placing Concrete Bricks Between the Tank’s Road Wheels

This simple and practical move stopped the mobility of the tank.

They chose the tank’s road wheels as it has smooth rims which made it difficult for the tank to crush the solid concrete bricks.

At this stage, rebel soldiers had lost all mobility.

They were incapacitated and had no option but to surrender.

4) Block the Exhaust Pipes

It was tank versus t-shirt.

The idea was thought of by two Turkish restaurant workers.

They removed their t-shirts and shoved it down the tank’s two exhaust pipes.

Within minutes, fumes from the tank circulatd back in and caused the engine to switch off.

Rebel soldiers in the cockpit were also locked in a haze of fumes and had no option but to evacuate.

Once they were out, police officers were quick to arrest them.

Authors: Tuncay Sahin & Abed Ahmed
Graphics: Majeed Alzaide