Turkey completes 5 years of failed coup attempt, celebrated
Turkey held nationwide celebrations to mark the fifth anniversary of the failed coup attempt in 2016. On July 15, 2016, coup conspirators blocked roads and bombed state institutions, including parliament. The effort was thwarted with the help of civilians protesting Poutist soldiers who took to the streets with tanks and guns.
About 250 people were killed and over 2,000 were injured in the incident.
Several celebrations were held throughout Turkey.
In Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lays flowers at the martyr’s memorial in parliament, where a bomb was dropped by an F-16 jet the night of the coup attempt.
The president said at the ceremony that the defeat of the coup attempt was a matter of pride for the Turkish nation.
Erdogan said that with resistance on July 15, we had thwarted an invasion attempt targeting our country.
He also inaugurated a museum dedicated to democracy and reminded the Turks of the spirit of unity that thwarted the coup attempt.
A US-based network led by Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen was accused by the Turkish government of plotting a coup.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Mevlut Kavusoglu said Turkey is stronger and more independent since the coup.
We are fighting against FETO in every corner of the world, and we will continue to do so, he added. We have ended the activities of FETO affiliated schools in 42 countries. We have ensured the deportation of many FETO members from many countries.
