The number of people killed during an attempted coup in Turkey rose to 265, with government forces and civilians accounting for 161 of the deaths, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said.

The remaining 104 deaths are on the side of the coup plotters, the government said.

Yildirim said 1,140 people have also been injured. The government has detained 2,839 military personnel, with the number of arrests expected to rise.

Aerial bombings, military blockades and clashes between mobs and armed forces were reported overnight across Turkey after an arm of the military announced it was seizing power to restore order.

Hakan Fidan, head of the country’s National Intelligence Organisation(MIT), said that missions to remove the putschists would continue for some hours in isolated cases.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched an operation to purge the armed forces of traitorous elements early yesterday, hours after a branch of the Turkish military announced it was seizing power to restore order.

The military made large-scale deployments in Ankara and Istanbul, shutting down key bridges and taking control of Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport.

Erdogan appeared on broadcaster CNN Turk calling for people to take to the streets to protest the rebellion. The uprising appeared to have been largely crushed after aerial bombings, military blockades and clashes between mobs and armed forces were reported overnight across Turkey.

Meanwhile, a Turkish military helicopter landed in Greece yesterday carrying eight men who were seeking asylum after a coup bid, Greek police said.

The Black Hawk helicopter landed after sending a distress signal to authorities at the airport in Alexandroupolis in the country’s north.

Seven of those on board were in military uniform and all are believed to have been involved in the attempted putsch, ERT TV said.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara had asked Athens to send back the eight coup plotters.

“We have requested Greece to extradite the eight traitors as soon possible,” Cavusoglu was quoted as telling HaberTurk television.

According to an official in the Greek National Defence General Staff, “the helicopter is scheduled to be sent back immediately to Turkey”.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras early yesterday expressed his “support for the democratically elected” Turkish government.

Turkey’s regional allies yesterday condemned a deadly but foiled coup attempt by a faction of the army against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rule.

Key regional powers Iran and Israel, which have both had strained relationships with Erdogan’s government, condemned the putsch that began late on Friday night.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif spoke with his Turkish counterpart three times since the crisis began.

On Twitter, he hailed the Turkish people’s “defence of democracy and their elected government” which he said “proves that coups have no place in our region and are doomed to fail”.

“Deeply concerned about the crisis in Turkey,” Zarif tweeted late on Friday.

“Stability, democracy and safety of Turkish people are paramount. Unity and prudence are imperative.”

Israel, which last month approved a deal to restore ties frozen after a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish ship in 2010, also condemned the coup attempt.

“Israel respects the democratic process in Turkey and looks forward to the continuation of the reconciliation process between Turkey and Israel,” said foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon.

With the exception of Qatar, Iran’s Arab foes in the Gulf made no comment on the events in Turkey besides advising their citizens to stay off the streets.

In a telephone call with the Turkish leader, Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani “congratulated [Erdogan] on the support of the people of Turkey on his rule against the failed military coup”, the official QNA news agency reported.

Sheikh Tamim “strongly condemned this failed attempt and voiced … solidarity with Turkey … in all measures it takes to protect constitutional legitimacy, enforce the rule

of law and preserve its security and stability.”

Gas-rich Qatar is Erdogan’s closest Gulf ally, sharing his sympathies for the Muslim Brotherhood that formerly ruled Egypt and which is outlawed in other Gulf Arab states.

Turkey has recently obtained several compromises from Israel over Gaza including authorisation for Ankara to build a hospital.

Erdogan called on his supporters yesterday to remain vigilant, warning of the risks of a fresh flare-up of violence even as his forces regained control.