Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has led a chorus of international leaders in condemning the attempted military coup in Turkey on Friday night.

Ms Merkel said Berlin stands by those who defend democracy, but added Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan must now observe the rule of law to deal with the coup's supporters.

"It's tragic that so many people died during this attempted coup," Ms Merkel told reporters in Berlin. "The bloodshed in Turkey must stop now."

She said it was the right of the Turkish people to choose their political leader in free elections, and that political change should only be achieved within the framework of political institutions.

"Tanks on the streets and air strikes against their own people are injustice," she said.

Ms Merkel was at odds with the United Nations Security Council, which on Saturday failed to condemn the unrest after Egypt objected to a statement that called on all parties to "respect the democratically elected government of Turkey".

The US-drafted statement expressed grave concern over the situation in Turkey, urged the parties to show restraint, avoid further violence or bloodshed, and called for an urgent return to rule of law.

Statements by the 15-member Security Council need to be agreed by consensus.

Egypt had argued that the UN Security Council was not in a position to determine whether the Turkish government had been democratically elected.

At least 161 people were killed and more than 1440 injured during the failed coup on Friday night which saw the country's head of armed forces taken hostage, a military helicopter was shot down and tanks open fire around Turkey's parliament.

Other world leaders joined Ms Merkel on Saturday in calling for calm and a return to law and order.

US President Barack Obama urged all sides to avoid destabilising the country further, fearing a crisis in Turkey would rock US efforts to combat Islamic State.

New British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said he had spoken to his counterpart in Turkey to underline the UK's support for the country's democratically elected government,  but that the UK remained "very concerned" about the situation.

Iran also said it fully supported the government of Turkey against the military rebels, despite Tehran and Ankara's differences over Syria and other issues.

A senior aide to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Tehran backed Turkey's elected government against the coup, but that it expected Ankara to do the same when it came to Syria.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif praised President Erdogan's supporters who took to the streets to oppose the military move. 

"Turkish people's brave defence of democracy and their elected government proves that coups have no place in our region and are doomed to fail," he said.

Saudi Arabia's state news agency SPA quoted a foreign ministry official as saying the country welcomed Mr Erdogan's efforts to defeat the coup.

Both the Israeli government in Tel Aviv and Hamas, which controls Gaza, condemned the coup. 

Qatar and Bahrain also came out in support of Mr Erdogan.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz agreed with Ms Merkel that Ankara should stick to the rule of law in resolving the internal conflict.

"As distressing as the coup attempt is, which I condemn in the strongest terms, the Turkish government should not take the opportunity for its part to break democratic principles", Mr Schulz told Tagesspiegel am Sonntag newspaper.

A chance for Erdogan to consolidate power

Elmar Brok, a Merkel ally and chair of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, said he expected Mr Erdogan to strengthen his grip on power as a result of the coup.

Mr Brok, who is a senior member of Merkel's Christian Democrats, spoke to Die Welt newspaper overnight as Erdogan loyalists fought back against the power grab and the Turkish leader told supporters he would "clean up" the army.

"Erdogan will try to extend his position of power," the veteran member of the European Parliament was quoted as saying.

"Turkey must quickly return to constitutional order. This would apply to the military as well as for Erdogan who currently fulfils a function as president that is not foreseen in the constitution."

Mr Erdogan and his supporters are pushing for a more executive presidency, saying it would guard against the sort of fractious coalition politics that hampered Turkey's development in the 1990s.

His opponents, and some sceptical Western allies, have accused Erdogan of growing authoritarianism. Opposition newspapers have been shut and journalists and academics critical of government policies sacked.

Germany has led talks with Turkey through the European Union, seeking its help in controlling a record influx of migrants. Turkey has long sought to join the bloc.

In a sign that the events in Turkey are stirring emotions in Germany, several thousand people took to the streets in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Essen and other cities to show support for the Turkish government, police said.

Germany is home to about 3 million people of Turkish origin, most of whom came to Germany to work in the 1960s and 1970s, or as refugees fleeing violence in the 1980s and 1990s. 

Reuters