President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed veterans and the families of martyrs at a ceremony hosted at the Presidential Complex to mark July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day. Turkey marks the second anniversary of the defeated coup attempt, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, on Sunday.
“We have more opportunities to repay our debt to our martyrs. We look to our future with much more hope than we did yesterday,” Erdoğan said.
“We will not allow July 15 to be forgotten, nor will we forget. The gravity of the struggle that our nation gave for its independence and future will be better understood over time,” he added.
A Quran program was held at the Beştepe People’s Mosque at the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara to mark the second anniversary of the July 15 failed coup attempt.President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the program, and recited the Quran for the martyrs of the coup.Video: Turkish president recites Quran for July 15 coup martyrsFollowing Erdoğan’s recitation, Head of Turkey’s Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş recited a prayer.The ceremony was attended by Deputy President Fuat Oktay, Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım, Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül and Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu among others.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.What happened night of July 15 at Turkey's parliament?Turkish parliament speaker marks July 15Jerusalem marks anniversary of defeated coup in TurkeyTurkey’s great struggle against FETÖErdoğan to march in commemoration of second July 15 anniversary
Erdoğan recites Quran for martyrs of July 15 coup
The president hailed the courage of the Turkish public who repelled the putsch by pouring onto the streets following Erdoğan’s call to resist.
“Attempts by some to diminish July 15’s importance is a manifestation of the hatred they nurture toward our nation and our people,” Erdoğan said.
“Those who want to uncover the secret of our people’s heroism demonstrated on the night of July 15 should look to our great struggle which has spanned centuries. Our people are tired of losing what they gained on the field, with their blood, to word games, diplomacy traps, heedlessness and even betrayal. We will not lose!” he added.
Later in the evening, Erdoğan will attend a rally at Istanbul’s July 15 Martyrs Bridge to mark the second anniversary of the failed coup attempt.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan penned a letter to the families of the July 15 veterans and martyrs on the 2nd anniversary of the failed coup attempt orchestrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).Fearless march “With pride and excitement, our country today celebrates July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day. I express gratitude on behalf of our country and nation to all our injured veterans who fearlessly marched forward that night for our homeland, sovereignty and future,” the letter penned by President Erdoğan read.Erdoğan 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.The Fetullah Terrorist 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.Turkey’s great struggle against FETÖErdoğan to march in commemoration of second July 15 anniversaryA promise of a brighter of future aheadIn his letter, Erdoğan said that the nation not only protected the country from a coup attempt by safeguarding its sovereignty and future against FETÖ traitors who came out against it with tanks, helicopters and weapons, but that they simultaneously protected it from an occupation attempt. “With God’s help, the prayers of the oppressed and destitute, and our nation’s courage, the blare of bullets fired by jets on that dark night was turned into a promise of even more brighter days to come for our country and nation thanks to the sacrifice of veterans such as yourselves,” the letter continued.Our struggle continuesThe letter sent to the martyrs’ families also read: “The significance of July 15 for those who lost their children, spouses, siblings and loved ones that night is, without a doubt, much more different and special. We look to our martyrs’ relatives as living monuments of sacrifice who said, “When it comes to the homeland, the rest is details. As state and nation, we full well know that no matter what we do, we will never be able to repay our debt to our martyrs’ relatives.”Galeri: Turkey commemorates martyrs of failed July 15 coup
Erdoğan pens letter to families of July 15 martyrs
Turkey is persistently continuing its fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).Turkey declared a state of emergency on July 20, 2016 following a failed coup attempt perpetrated by FETÖ on July 15. The state of emergency is due to be lifted next week. In the two years since the putsch, a total of 32 statutory decrees were issued and FETÖ terrorists who had infiltrated state institutions were purged.As a result, close to 125,000 public servants have been dismissed. In addition to this, many associations and foundations were shut down, and police and military officers with connections to FETÖ were also dismissed.Erdoğan to march in commemoration of second July 15 anniversaryMost dismissals from police forceThe most dismissals following the failed July 15 coup attempt were from the police force. Together with the Decree No. 701 recently published, a total of 38,056 people have been discharged within the Ministry of Interior. Additionally, 34,393 people were dismissed from the National Education Ministry, 14,633 from the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and 4,836 from the Board of Judges and Prosecutors.Approximately 5,000 of those who were dismissed from their posts returned to their jobs following decisions by the State of Emergency Commission.Turkish representations abroad mark July 15Nearly 300 coup casesFollowing the putsch, 289 cases were opened across Turkey - 56 in Ankara and 53 in Istanbul, and the captured FETÖ putschists were put on trial. A total of 9,690 defendants have stood in front of a judge as result of these cases.Also, the medals of former national soccer players Hakan Şükür and Arif Erdem were revoked.Galeri: Bosnia releases balloons to commemorate martyrs of Turkey's failed coupAt least 250 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 injured in the July 15 failed coup which was perpetrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), led by ringleader Fetullah Gülen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.Gülen pursued a long-running campaign to overthrow the Turkish government through the infiltration of state institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.
Turkey’s great struggle against FETÖ
Counterterrorism efforts
“This year, Turkey neutralized close to 1,400 terrorists domestically and in northern Iraq. Approximately 4,600 PKK and PYD terrorists were neutralized in Operation Olive Branch,” Erdoğan said.
Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on January 20 in Syria’s northwestern Afrin region. The aim of the operation is to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and the region as well as to eliminate PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and Daesh terror groups, and protect the Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.
The YPG is the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.
“The only target of terror groups like FETÖ, PKK and Daesh is our nation’s unity. I will not end with FETÖ. We will find them everywhere they hide. There is no stopping,” the president added.