Türkiye: Türkiye marks 10 years since FETO's failed coup attempt (2).

SHOTLIST: ANKARA, TÜRKİYE (JULY 15, 2026) 1. JULY 15 MARTYRS MEMORIAL (TWO SHOTS) 2. VARIOUS OF PARLIAMENT SPEAKER NUMAN KURTULMUS AND ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION LAYING CARNATIONS AT JULY 15 MARTYRS MEMORIAL 3. NUMAN KURTULMUS AND ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION PRAYING 3. VARIOUS OF KURTULMUS AND ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION NEAR MEMORIAL 4. VARIOUS OF KURTULMUS AND ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION SHOVELING SOIL AROUND NEWLY-PLANTED SAPLING 5. KURTULMUS AND ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION POSING TO CAMERA 6. KURTULMUS AND ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION LAYING CARNATIONS AT COMMEMORATIVE STONE AT PARLIAMENT'S MAIN BUILDING'S HALL OF HONOR 7. DAMAGE AT SITE BOMBED DURING JULY 15 FAILED COUP ATTEMPT (TWO SHOTS)ANKARA, TÜRKİYE - JULY 15, 2026: Türkiye marked the 10th anniversary of the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt on Wednesday, with commemorative ceremonies held across the country. Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus attended a commemoration ceremony held at the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) in capital Ankara to mark the anniversary of the coup attempt. Kurtulmus and the accompanying delegation laid carnations at the July 15 Martyrs Memorial and at the commemorative stone in the Main Building's Hall of Honor. They also placed soil around a newly-planted sapling in the parliament garden. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the defeat of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt as a "declaration of independence" for the Türkiye Century. In an article marking Democracy and National Unity Day, Erdogan said the coup attempt targeted Türkiye's independence and democratic will, as well as its elected government. The ​​​​​​failed coup attempt carried out by members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) left 253 people dead and sought to overthrow the country's democratic order. Presenting itself as a religious movement while infiltrating state institutions, including the Turkish Armed Forces, FETO attempted to seize power through a military coup after years of covert organization within the state. Before the coup attempt, the group carried out several operations against the government, including attempts to summon then-National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Undersecretary Hakan Fidan for questioning, the Dec. 17-25 investigations and the stopping of MIT trucks. Following the Justice and Development (AK) Party's victory in the Nov. 1, 2015 elections and anticipating the removal of FETO-linked officers through Supreme Military Council decisions, the organization accelerated its plans. FETO ringleader Fetullah Gulen, appeared on camera on March 19, 2016, wearing a khaki-colored robe and called on members of the group's military network to stage a coup. After receiving the instruction, members of the terrorist group began preparations for a coup across Türkiye. The attempted coup was brought under control across Türkiye after approximately 21 hours. The bid was ultimately thwarted under the leadership of President Erdogan, through the resistance of the Turkish people and the efforts of loyal security forces.