15 July 2018•Update: 16 July 2018
By Nilay Kar Onum
ISTANBUL
The Turkish nation has closed the chapter of coups, never to be reopened again, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on the second anniversary of the coup attempt on Sunday.
Addressing a public rally held at July 15 Martyrs Bridge in Istanbul, Erdogan said: “Today, we feel deep sorrow and immense pride in our hearts at the same time.”
Praising the Turkish nation’s courage and resistance that night, he said: “This victory is a result of the courage of our martyrs and veterans, who challenged tanks and planes.”
Erdogan called the July 15 coup attempt as “a revival of Turkish nation” and a “big democracy struggle.”
“July 15 will never be forgotten," he said. “We will never forget those who prayed for us and those who helped FETO [Fetullah Terrorist Organization].”
Erdogan likened FETO terror group to an “octopus".
Referring to the nationwide fight against the group, he said: “We have cut the octopus’ tentacles.”
“In the last two years, we’ve crumpled all the structures of the organization in the state, business community, bureaucracy, trade, media and civil society on a large scale.”
“Murderers who shot our countrymen that night are getting the heaviest punishments," the president noted, vowing to carry out their determined fight against the terror group.
A museum to pay respects to the martyrs is being built near July 15 Martyrs Bridge, Erdogan announced.
Meanwhile, Anadolu Agency aired live images from a FETO camp in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
