Turkish president vows to continue fighting terror group FETO until it is ‘totally eradicated’
Türkiye’s president on Thursday pledged to continue to fight against the terrorist group FETO until it is “totally eradicated” as the nation marks the 10th anniversary of the group’s defeated July 15, 2026 coup attempt.
"Let no one have any doubt: our fight will continue until FETO is totally eradicated and this treacherous network, which disguises itself in every possible form, is uprooted once and for all," Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
"Ten years ago, on the night of July 15, we, as a nation, wrote a magnificent epic together. I once again extend my congratulations and gratitude to the heroic members of our Turkish Armed Forces who remained loyal on that night to the honorable uniform entrusted to them by the nation in the face of the FETO terrorist plotters who betrayed that uniform; to all of our security forces—our gendarmerie, police, special operations personnel, and intelligence officers; and to every member of our noble nation, women and men, young and old, who took to the streets carrying flags in their hands, prayers on their lips, and love for Türkiye in their hearts, denying the coup plotters control of the public squares.”
Erdogan expressed his gratitude to “all of our brothers and sisters around the world who raised their hands in prayer, saying, 'May no harm come to Türkiye,' and soaked their prayer rugs with tears."
"Each of our 253 martyrs and every one of our 2,737 veterans has countless memories and stories from that night. May God bless the souls of all our martyrs, who are the eternal seals of our homeland's existence, and grant them a place in Paradise,” he said.
The defeated coup attempt, in which 253 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded, was plotted and carried out by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).
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Türkiye is taking measures to ensure that structures similar to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) can never again establish themselves within the state system, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters at a train station in Przemysl, Poland, before traveling to Ukraine, Fidan reflected on the 10th anniversary of the July 15, 2016 defeated coup attempt.
“FETO is now a structure whose period of usefulness has ended. Despite this, it continues its struggle against the state,” he said, adding that the organization also targets the country’s elected leadership and cooperates with international power networks.
Fidan said the Turkish state and public had entered a new struggle for liberation following the coup attempt, during which Ankara dealt major blows to domestic and foreign terrorist networks, particularly FETO.
He said removing FETO-linked elements from state institutions had allowed the government to return to its fundamental mission of serving the public.
The determination demonstrated by the Turkish people under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s leadership played a major role in removing the organization from the system, he added.
“The measures we take and the regulations we introduce will hopefully ensure that such structures cannot find a place within the system, either today or in the future. All our efforts are directed toward this,” Fidan said.
He said Türkiye continues working to prevent FETO from carrying out unlawful activities, espionage, and operations against the country in states where its members are based.
Fidan also urged members of the organization living abroad to reject its leadership and return to genuine loyalty to their country.
He argued that FETO’s senior figures were using their remaining supporters to maintain the group’s relevance and serve foreign intelligence services.
The July 15, 2016 coup attempt was carried out by a faction within the Turkish Armed Forces linked to the FETO.
The plotters opened fire on civilians and security personnel and bombed state institutions, killing 253 people and wounding thousands.
10 years have passed since July 15, 2016 coup attempt carried out by members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO)
Plot involved approximately 9,000 personnel, 35 aircraft, 37 helicopters, 246 armored vehicles, including 74 tanks, and 4,000 light weapons. Key institutions, including Turkish parliament, TRT headquarters and strategic sites in Ankara and Istanbul, were targeted during coup attempt
What happened on night FETO coup attempt was defeated
Source:AA
