World leaders mark seventh anniversary of thwarted coup attempt in Türkiye

Leaders from around the world have shared messages of solidarity with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the seventh anniversary of the 2016 defeated coup:

In a statement on Saturday, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said: "While recalling the supreme sacrifices of the brave Turkish people, we pay our rich tribute & respects to the martyrs who valiantly resisted the heinous attempt to deprive them of democracy and basic rights."

"This historic & epoch-making day in 2016 also represented unwavering faith & profound trust in the dynamic leadership of my brother H.E. President @RTErdogan.The takeaway of the day was that the nations can overcome any challenge with the power of unity, fraternity and deep bonds," he added.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sent a letter to Erdogan to commemorate the cherished memory of those who sacrificed their lives to prevent the coup attempt with "deep respect."

Aliyev underlined that the victory, obtained at the cost of the blood and lives of martyrs, confirmed the love of the Turkish people for their homeland, their spirit of struggle, and their invincibility.

“The Democracy and National Unity Day, which is a symbol of solidarity and national unity, will remain as a day of great honour in Turkish state history," he said.

The Azerbaijani people and state have stood alongside Türkiye from the very beginning of this struggle, condemning the traitors who attacked the country's constitutional structure and legitimate government, Aliyev added.

Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), echoed the sentiment, saying: “I once again condemn the July 15, 2016 FETO coup attempt on its 7th anniversary in the strongest terms, I commemorate all our martyrs with mercy and express my gratitude to our veterans.”

Also, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani “sent a cable of congratulations" to Erdogan on the anniversary of "his country's Democracy and National Unity Day,” state news agency QNA said.

Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), echoed the sentiment, saying: “I once again condemn the July 15, 2016 FETO coup attempt on its 7th anniversary in the strongest terms, I commemorate all our martyrs with mercy and express my gratitude to our veterans.”

Global commemoration events

Various commemoration programs were also held around the world to mark the day.

The events were organised in Cameroon, Belgium, Jordan, Georgia, Russia, Lebanon, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Indonesia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela, as well as Colombia.

The programs paid tribute to the martyrs and reinforced the significance of democracy.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 252 people killed and 2,734 injured.

FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.