Burhanettin Duran, Head of Communications of the Turkish Presidency, delivered a video message for the panel titled “10th Anniversary of 15 July: Victory of Democracy,” emphasizing the Turkish nation’s resolute stand against the 2016 coup attempt orchestrated by the FETO terrorist organization.

In his address, Duran described the night of July 15, 2016, as a historic turning point during which FETO members launched a bloody assault on democracy by targeting key public institutions, including the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. The plotters also seized control of major media outlets and the iconic bridges in Istanbul.

“However, as a state and a nation, we had an epic resistance against this bloody coup attempt,” Duran stated. “Our people took to the streets to put a stop to the coup attempt.”

He noted that the failed coup resulted in the martyrdom of 253 Turkish citizens, with thousands more injured. Duran attributed the victory of that night to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s resolute leadership from the very first moments.

“Millions heeded our President’s call, took to the streets in İstanbul, our capital Ankara, and across many parts of Türkiye, and defended the will of the nation,” he said.

Duran highlighted Türkiye’s long historical tradition of resisting subjugation, betrayal, and conspiracies. He stressed that the nation has confronted numerous threats to its sovereignty throughout history and has always emerged successful.

“Today, we have eliminated the remnants of the FETO organisation from our state and nation. We paid a price while doing so. We endured difficult and challenging days,” Duran continued. “Despite the challenges, Türkiye, under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is strong enough to confront the threats to its sovereignty.”

He called on the international community to support Türkiye’s efforts against FETO, noting that members of the organization remain active in many countries despite Ankara’s extradition requests.

“Because FETO is not merely a national security problem concerning Türkiye alone. FETO is a blatant threat to all countries in which it operates,” Duran warned. “We expect our friends to stand by our side and act with loyalty in the face of structures that target our nation’s sovereignty and democracy.”

Duran also underlined the broader global implications of the July 15 experience, pointing to the rise of hybrid threats, terrorist organizations, media manipulation, and crises of truth affecting societies worldwide.

He urged collective action: “Despite our geographical differences, we must recognise that we confront similar challenges and work together to find answers to global concerns… Let us all imagine a future in which fear gives way to hope, conflict to cooperation, polarisation to mutual understanding, and a fairer international order is possible.”

Concluding his message, Duran paid tribute to the martyrs and veterans of July 15, expressing gratitude to all participants in the commemorative program. (ILKHA)