Special article from Erdoğan for the 10th anniversary of July 15! 'We have uprooted FETÖ'

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has penned an article for the 10th anniversary of the July 15 coup attempt.

Beginning his article titled "July 15: The Declaration of Independence of the Century of Turkey" with the words, "Exactly ten years have passed since that ominous night when a great nation, which changed the course of history, fought at the cost of its life for its independence and future," Erdoğan stated that July 15 was not only the prevention of a coup attempt but also a turning point where democracy and national will were defended.

Erdoğan made the following remarks in his assessment:

"July 15 is not just a night when a treacherous coup attempt was thwarted; it is a great victory for democracy, written in golden letters in history, where our nation defended its will, democracy, and independence at the cost of its life. That night, our noble nation gave one of the greatest lessons in history to the imperialists who attempted to occupy our homeland and their collaborators, just as it did during the War of Independence. As the poet expressed in the lines, 'The majesty of our ancestors is known to the world / Do not think nature changes, this blood is still that blood!', July 15 is a great epic written in golden letters in history by our noble nation, which rushed to the streets and squares with the faith and determination of those who fought heroically at Manzikert a thousand years ago, those who put their souls and bodies on the line 500 years ago to realize Sultan Fatih's dream at the walls of Istanbul and to attain the glad tidings of our Prophet, and those who disregarded their lives for the defense of the homeland a hundred years ago."

HE REMINDED OF THE CALL TO THE SQUARES

Erdoğan also touched upon his call to take to the squares on the night of July 15, stating that this was a manifestation of the trust placed in the nation's common sense and courage.

"The call we made to our nation was a manifestation of the trust we have in our dear nation's democratic common sense, foresight, and courage. We aimed to revive the motto 'Either independence or death!', one of the most sacred legacies left to us by our ancestors. Our nation, which seemed to emerge from the depths of history, responded to this call instantly, disregarding its life and soul. Thank God, our nation did not let this trust go to waste; it took ownership of its own independence and future. That night, our nation shattered the chains that were intended to be placed on its will, tore off the shackles of tutelage and treason, and demolished the obstacles in front of Turkey one by one. That night, while 253 of our compatriots drank the sherbet of martyrdom, more than 2 thousand of our brothers and sisters were wounded. Each of these figures is a separate sign of the sacrifice, courage, and heroism displayed for the sake of protecting the homeland, the flag, and the national will."

EMPHASIS ON THE FIGHT AGAINST FETÖ

Including the fight against FETÖ in his article, Erdoğan stated, "Over the past ten years, we have continued our fight against the bloodthirsty terrorist organization FETÖ with uncompromising determination, both domestically and internationally."

Erdoğan made the following assessment:

"Because cleaning out this cancer cell that had infiltrated our state and ensuring that the perpetrators are held accountable before justice was our greatest debt to our martyrs who willingly sacrificed their lives. We have uprooted FETÖ in every field, from the bureaucracy to the army, from the judiciary to the business world. However, it is useful to remember once again the simple truth that we must never forget: what we are experiencing is not a struggle that started and ended 10 years ago. The only way to prevent FETÖ and similar insidious structures from encroaching upon our state and nation again is to keep the spirit of July 15 alive at all times and to pass this consciousness on to future generations."

"AS LONG AS THE SPIRIT OF JULY 15 REMAINS ALIVE..."

In the final part of his article, Erdoğan stated that the fight against terrorist organizations will continue, using the following expressions:

"Furthermore, we continue to wage our war against FETÖ and all similar terrorist hubs with the same perseverance and determination. On the 10th anniversary of July 15, there is now a much stronger, much more determined, and tightly knit Turkey. Let no one have any doubt that as long as the spirit of July 15 remains alive in these lands, the insidious plans of traitors and the dirty games of the global scriptwriters behind them will never find a response."

News Source: 12punto