The women of Turkey's anti-coup protests

By Adem Demir

ISTANBUL

When Serife Boz, 50, heard a coup was seeking to overthrow the Turkish government she jumped inside her truck and drove as many people as possible to the squares across Istanbul to protest the violent putsch.

"I can drive the truck. I felt that I was going to war. I chanted [the] whole night and the next day," said Serife.

"Me and my children and grandchildren took to [the streets of] Taksim Square,” she added.

Serife was quickly accompanied by her friend and neighbor, 61-year-old Sema Tutar, who said she wanted to resist the military tanks in the streets amid the coup attempt late Friday.

“We took to the street because of our children’s future. We protected our country and I hope that we will have [a] better future,” Sema said.

A photo that emerged of Serife and Sema sitting next to each other in the truck, went viral and became the symbol of anti-coup protests that helped suppress the deadly coup attempt.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim cried when he saw the photo of the two women in the front seat of the truck, carrying protesters who were waving the Turkish flag.

Serife said she would "go anywhere with her truck if only President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Yildirim would ask her". The putsch occurred when rogue elements of the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically elected government.

At least 246 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were martyred in Istanbul and Ankara and more than 1,530 others wounded as they protested against the coup.

The government has said the attempted coup was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through supporters within the Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming the parallel state.

*Hatice Kesgin contributed to this report from Ankara.