Türkiye commemorates July 15 coup attempt, remembers victims

BY ANADOLU AGENCY

Türkiye on Saturday commemorated the victims of the July 15, 2016 defeated coup attempt by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which left at least 252 dead and over 2,700 injured.

On its seventh anniversary, Turks across the country remembered the victims of the deadly coup attempt.

Since its official designation in October 2016, every year the nation marks July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day, with events held nationwide to commemorate those who lost their lives defeating the putschists and to remember the bravery of the nation.

FETÖ and its United States-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 252 people dead and 2,734 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

The attempt by FETÖ to overthrow the government began around 10 p.m. local time (1900GMT) on July 15, 2016 and was thwarted by 8 a.m. the next day.

Standing against the threat, the Turkish people courageously showed the world that they would not tolerate any attempt to thwart their will as expressed through their democratically elected government.