SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the popular resistance that defeated the July 15, 2016 coup attempt stands unmatched in the history of world democracy, crediting the nation's willingness to die for its independence with powering Türkiye's rise as a global actor over the past decade.
"The Turkish nation's prudence, courage, and foresight on the night of 15 July are also unprecedented in the history of world democracy," Erdoğan said in a written statement marking the 10th anniversary of the failed coup, released Wednesday.
The statement comes as Türkiye holds commemorations in all 81 provinces and at its diplomatic missions abroad for Democracy and National Unity Day, the national observance established after the events of 2016.
On the night of July 15 that year, a faction within the Turkish military attempted to seize power, bombing the parliament in Ankara and deploying tanks onto the Bosphorus bridge in Istanbul. Erdoğan, speaking by video call on a news anchor's phone, urged citizens into the streets. Crowds surrounded military units and climbed onto tanks, and the coup collapsed before dawn. At least 251 people were killed and more than 2,000 wounded; official commemorations now honor 253 victims, a figure Erdoğan cited in his statement.
Ankara attributes the attempt to the network of Fethullah Gülen, a cleric who lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania from 1999 until his death in October 2024 and who denied involvement until the end. The Turkish government designates the network a terrorist organization, calling it the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization, or FETÖ. The years after the coup attempt saw tens of thousands of soldiers, judges, prosecutors, teachers, and civil servants dismissed or detained in one of the largest purges in the republic's history, a crackdown Western governments criticized for its scale.
In his statement, Erdoğan described the attempt as "far more than a conventional coup attempt" and called it "an all-out act of invasion directed against our country's independence." He said the resistance of that night underpins Türkiye's current international standing.
"If Türkiye is now regarded as a country whose contribution is sought, whose word carries weight, and who is consulted on regional and global matters, behind this success lies the will of our august nation, who stood up for their independence and future at the cost of their lives on the night of 15 July," he said.
The president pointed to the decade's gains in the defense, aviation, and space industries under the National Technology Move, naming the TOGG electric car, the KAAN fighter jet, national corvettes, and Turkish drones among the country's globally recognized products.
Erdoğan also warned that FETÖ remains active despite what he described as an accelerating internal disintegration of its overseas network over the past two years, and accused unnamed countries of covertly supporting the organization and harboring its members.
"Our primary expectation from the global community is to support Türkiye's legitimate struggle," he said. "Global peace, security, and prosperity can only be achieved through a resolute and uncompromising fight against terrorist organisations without any distinction and through sincere cooperation."
The full text of the statement follows.
"Resistance of 15 July is unparalleled in the history of world democracy"
One of the most brutal coup attempts in Türkiye's political history took place exactly ten years ago, on 15 July 2016. Orchestrated by a terrorist network that had insidiously infiltrated the institutions of our state, this coup attempt sought to plunge Türkiye into years of chaos and subjugate the future of our nation. By standing up for their independence and future to confront the coup plotters, our august nation asserted to the entire world through their heroic resistance that the will of the people can never be subjugated on these lands. Undoubtedly, the Turkish nation's prudence, courage, and foresight on the night of 15 July are also unprecedented in the history of world democracy.
This treacherous insurrection by the Fetullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO) was far more than a conventional coup attempt; it was an all-out act of invasion directed against our country's independence. The primary targets of the putschists were the emblematic institutions that embody the national will and our nation's independence, namely the Presidential Complex and the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. On the night of 15 July, I underlined in my public statement that I had never recognised any power greater than that of the people. I made that statement in full confidence that the Turkish nation would stand firm in defence of its own will. Indeed, that very night, our people took to the streets with unwavering faith and determination, refusing to submit to the domination of this terrorist organisation. Risking their lives to defend the independence of their country, its democratic achievements, and its free will, our nation repelled the putschists and inscribed an epic of national will that shall be remembered with pride for generations to come.
Inspired by the brave stance of our nation, we acted swiftly to eliminate any negative consequences of this treacherous insurrection. We promptly introduced comprehensive structural reforms to eliminate from all state institutions any anti-democratic formations that could threaten democratic governance through extra-political means. We subsequently attained critical achievements through operations conducted both at home and abroad as part of our strategy to eliminate the other terrorist organisations we have been combating. Ultimately, we launched the Terror-Free Türkiye initiative, marking a new chapter in our nation's story of unity and solidarity. This process, one of the essential cornerstones of our 'Century of Türkiye' vision, is, praise be to Allah, advancing firmly towards its destination with an all-encompassing and inclusive approach through the diligence of our security forces and the support of the political establishment. I believe the success of the 'Terror-free Türkiye' process will contribute not only to the peace and tranquillity of our country but also to that of our region.
As a result of our struggle against those who attempted this coup and also targeted our country's economic prosperity and development, we have taken significant steps towards a more prosperous future through the projects we have launched in sectors such as energy, transport, healthcare, agriculture, technology, and defence. With the National Technology Move, we have made significant strides in the defence, aviation, and space industries over the past decade. We have developed electric and smart transport systems, and through substantial investment in the health and agriculture sectors, we have strived to live up to the sacrifices of our people. During this process, we have also developed our brand products, which have gained worldwide recognition. Among these, our electric automobile, the TOGG; our national fighter aircraft, the KAAN; our national corvettes; and our unmanned aerial vehicles are the first that spring to mind.
On the other hand, over the past 10 years, Türkiye has emerged as an effective actor in the resolution of crises and conflicts at both regional and global levels, guided by an enterprising foreign policy approach. In all crisis regions, we have not hesitated to assume responsibility for maintaining peace and tranquillity by supporting the oppressed and the righteous, rather than the powerful. Wherever there is oppression or injustice, we have been the voice of international law, justice, and conscience. If Türkiye is now regarded as a country whose contribution is sought, whose word carries weight, and who is consulted on regional and global matters, behind this success lies the will of our august nation, who stood up for their independence and future at the cost of their lives on the night of 15 July.
The fight against terrorism, in which international cooperation is essential, retains its prominent place on our foreign policy agenda. As is well known, the process of internal disintegration within FETO's overseas network has accelerated over the past two years. That said, we are aware that some countries are covertly providing support to this organisation and are harbouring its members. I would like to take this opportunity to underscore the necessity of maintaining vigilance against FETO, which considers all means permissible to achieve its ambitions, adopts every possible guise, and does not hesitate to exploit every concept, including democracy, freedom, and human rights. As a nation that saw 253 of its sons and daughters martyred by the putschists on the night of 15 July, our primary expectation from the global community is to support Türkiye's legitimate struggle. Global peace, security, and prosperity can only be achieved through a resolute and uncompromising fight against terrorist organisations without any distinction and through sincere cooperation.
Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN
President of the Republic of Türkiye
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