Türkiye remembers victims of defeated 2016 coup bid

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

On its seventh anniversary on Saturday, 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.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 252 people dead and 2,734 injured.

It is well known that FETO members have been infiltrating state institutions including the judiciary, the police force, and the army for years.

The attempt by FETO to overthrow the government began around 10 p.m. local time (1900GMT) on Jul y 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.

Photos of victims in New York

A flag displaying photos and names of the victims of the 2016 defeated coup in Türkiye was hung on the Turkish House in New York to mark the seventh anniversary of the coup attempt.

Speaking at a Friday commemoration ceremony at the Turkish House, a dedicated building for Turkish diplomatic representations, Ambassador to the UN Sedat Onal urged the international community to cooperate with Türkiye and act in solidarity to foil the FETO.

“This is not only a threat to the security and stability of Türkiye, but a threat to (all) countries in which it operates. This is a clear-cut warning,” he said at the Turkish House, across from UN headquarters.

“We remember this day as the day when our nation faced an unprecedented challenge – a cowardly attempt by a small faction within our military to seize control of our government,” said Turkish Consul General in New York Reyhan Ozgur.

“But we also remember this day that united us as nation in the face of adversity and demonstrated the unwavering determination of the Turkish people to safeguard our democratic values.”