The Turkish Consulate General in Hargeisa on Saturday marked the seventh anniversary of the 2016 defeated coup attempt in Türkiye.
The ceremony commenced with a moment of silence and the recital of the national anthem, followed by a Quran recitation in honor of the victims.
The event was attended by Somaliland government officials, parliamentarians, academics, Hargeisa Maarif staff, and Turkish citizens in Somaliland.
Speaking at the event, Turkish Vice Consul in Hargeisa Mr. Onuralp Doğan Çakır thanked the attendees to “commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice on July 15, 2016, while defending Turkish democracy”.
“Unfortunately, our country has become the target of different terrorist groups many times, as many parts of the world today are affected globally. And this coup attempt was planned by one of these: FETHULLAH GÜLEN terrorist organization (FETÖ), and carried out by their members. They had infiltrated into the honorable Turkish army, by going beyond the chain of command of the armed forces. They killed 251 citizens and injured more than two thousand..” he said.
“FETÖ carries out the brutal act of terrorism and still tries to present itself as an education and charity movement abroad and to create a misleading perception among the public. Based on the fact that terrorism is a global problem, it is obvious that feto poses a serious threat not only to Türkiye, but to all the countries in which it operates, and for this reason, it must be fought everywhere,” he added
Turkish Vice Consul in Hargeisa Mr. Onuralp Doğan Çakır also thanked the Somaliland government showed a statement of support for Türkiye after the coup attempt and decided to transfer the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) schools to the Turkish Maarif Foundation.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to all authorities and friends in somaliland who have fully supported our struggle and honoured us by being with us today. Thanks to the transfer of the feta-linked school, which has an important role in holding this event in this Turkish Maarif School today.”
” I would like to thank you and our all Somalilander friends for the solidarity during our fight against terrorism and Fettulah Gulen terrorist organization particularly, for your kind cooperation during the transfer of this school to Maarif Foundation, which will never be forgotten”
FETO and its US-based leader, Fetullah Gulen, orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
Gulen has lived in self-exile in the US near Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania since 1999.
