Türkiye commemorates July 15 coup attempt victims in Gümülcine
Türkiye's Consulate General in Gümülcine on Wednesday held a commemorative event marking the 10th anniversary of the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt, attended by representatives of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, religious leaders, local officials and members of the community.
The ceremony began with a moment of silence, the Turkish national anthem and a Quran recitation in memory of those killed during the coup attempt.
In his address, Chairman of the Consultative Committee of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace and Mufti of İskeçe Mustafa Trampa described July 15 as a turning point in Türkiye's history, saying the Turkish nation defended democracy, national sovereignty and constitutional order. He also noted that the Turkish minority in Western Thrace had expressed solidarity with Türkiye from the first hours of the coup attempt.
Türkiye's Consul General in Komotini Aykut Ünal said the failed coup was an attack on the country's constitutional order and the will of the people, describing the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) as the group responsible for the attempt. He urged continued vigilance against the organization and thanked the Turkish minority in Western Thrace for its support during the events of July 2016.
Ünal also paid tribute to Mustafa Cambaz, a member of the Western Thrace Turkish minority who was killed while resisting the coup attempt in Istanbul, describing him as a symbol of the community's solidarity with Türkiye.
The commemoration concluded with a prayer led by Mufti of Gümülcine İbrahim Şerif for the victims of the July 15 coup attempt and all those who lost their lives in service to the country.
