Erdoğan to mark second failed coup anniversary with rally
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will attend a rally at Istanbul’s July 15 Martyrs Bridge to mark the second anniversary of the failed coup attempt.
Erdoğan will first attend a commemoration ceremony to be held in Ankara as part of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day.
The Turkish president will later visit Istanbul's July 15 Martyrs' Bridge and the nearby Monument of Martyrs unveiled last year to honor those who lost their lives while resisting the putsch.
Witnesses of the defeated coup attempt in 2016 shared with Anadolu Agency their experiences on that day.Nurullah Keles, 27, carries more than 15 shrapnel pieces in his body.Keles was in front of Gendarmerie General Command in Ankara during the coup attempt when he was hit by bombs fired from fighter jets. He lost half of his braincase and his jaw was splintered. Keles is still receiving treatment."The shrapnel pieces I carry in my body are a source of pride for me," Keles said.He said some groups still try to create upheaval in Turkey and if President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not in power, the nation would not have been able to fight back.Metin Dogan, another witness, who lied on the ground when a tank was passing Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, said he was not afraid at the moment."July 15 means for me giving your life without hesitation for something that you love so much," he said.Ahmet Akpolat, a cameraman of CNN Turk TV Channel, did not hand over his camera to the putschists that night.Akpolat said he resisted for a long time and did not give his camera, adding that professional ethics and the way he was raised played a role in his brave act. The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Survivors share experiences of Turkey's deadly coup bid
Erdoğan will also join a march on the July 15 Martyrs' Bridge and deliver an address.
The Fetullah Terror Organization (FETÖ) orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
FETÖ is also behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
Turkish representations in many countries marked the second anniversary of the defeated coup attempt in Turkey.Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.Turkey's Rotterdam Consulate in the Netherlands marked July 15 in an event where NGO representatives and Turkish citizens participated.Consul General Sadin Ayyildiz made a speech and said the most important lesson learned from the coup attempt is the importance of national unity.In Serbia, Turkey's Belgrade Embassy, Yunus Emre Institute and Serbian Bicycle Federation held a bicycle race to mark July 15.Turkey's Embassy in Guinean capital Conakry also held an event to mark July 15. At the event, films regarding the coup attempt were shown and the activities of FETÖ in Guinea were mentioned.In Afghanistan, Turkey's Kabul Embassy informed journalists about the coup attempt and FETÖ.Turkish Embassy in Kosovar capital Pristina held an event where images captured during the coup attempt by Anadolu Agency were shown to the participants.In Bosnian capital Sarajevo, 251 balloons were released to the sky, to commemorate 251 martyrs of the defeated coup attempt.Macedonian Turkish Democratic Party Youth Branch also held a photo exhibition and commemoration event in Macedonian capital Skopje to mark July 15.
Turkish representations abroad mark July 15