President Erdogan honors July 15 coup attempt victims, condemns critics
President Erdogan gives a speech as he visits the July 15 Martyrs' Monument during the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 15, 2024. (AA Photo)
Eight years have passed since the thwarting of the treacherous coup attempt on July 15, 2016. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended a solemn ceremony at the Martyrs Monument on the July 15 Martyrs Bridge, where he laid flowers in honor of the fallen.
The ceremony began with the recitation of the Quran, setting a reverent tone for the occasion.
During the ceremony, President Erdogan addressed the attendees, drawing attention to disparaging remarks made by opposition figures regarding the events of July 15. He emphasized that those who spread falsehoods about the night of July 15 would not be forgiven.
Heroism, brutality
Reflecting on the significance of the day, President Erdogan remarked: “We stand united in spirit and determination. We have prayed for our heroes and martyrs who safeguarded our nation’s future. I express gratitude to all who courageously took to the streets to defy the traitors.”
He vividly recalled the events of that fateful night, highlighting the heroism displayed on the Martyrs Bridge where 34 patriots, including two policemen, lost their lives. “We will never forget the brutality of the coup plotters, nor the valor of our people who faced tanks and firearms with bare hands,’ he vowed.
‘We will never forgive’
President Erdogan concluded with a solemn pledge: “We will never forgive those who trivialize July 15 as a mere act or a staged event. Such slander diminishes the sacrifice of those who stood against the enemies of Türkiye.”
“As this nation has thwarted every threat to its independence in the past, it will continue to do so in the future. May Allah protect us from such nefarious attempts ever again,” the president maintained.
