ISLAMABD, (DNA) – Ambassador of Turkey Sadik Babur Girgin has said the coup attempt of July 15 was not an action of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) as an institution. The fact that the number of military personnel detained after the coup attempt amounts to less than one percent of the strength of the TAF is a clear demonstration of this.
The ambassador further said, the High Command of TAF and the majority of the army declared their opposition to the attempt from the beginning. Chief of General Staff and some high-rank commanders were taken hostage by the plotters. Other high-ranking commanders appeared on TV and declared that TAF was not behind the coup attempt.
The coup attempt was a criminalact against Turkey’s constitutional order and organized by the members of Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) infiltrated into the TAF overdecades.
It was the Turkish nation, above all, who thwarted the coup by resisting in the streets. Political leaders stood firm. President flew to Istanbul bearing all risks.
The parliament immediately met in an extraordinary session and all political parties signed a declaration opposing the coup attempt. Turkish media played also an important role to defend the democracy, he added.
The ambassador said, the coup attempt lasted 5-6 hours, after that security forces started apprehending the perpetrators. The investigations are ongoing.7,423 military personnel have been detained, 220 of them have been charged and arrested until now.
208 citizens (145 civilians, 60 police officers and 3 soldiers) were martyred, 24 coup plotters were captured dead, 50 of plotters were captured wounded. One attack helicopter was shot down. Four F-16 fighter planes and between 2-4 tanker aircraft from Incirlik Air Base is said to have been used in the coup attempt, Ambassador Girgin told.
Turkey has solid proofs that the coup attempt was an act of Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), the leader of which, Fethullah Gülen, has been living in the United States for almost 20 years.
Some confessions of arrested plotters clearly show that it was planned and carried out by FETÖ. Even the Personal Staff Officer of the Chief of General Staff has confessed that he is a member of FETÖ and infiltrated to the army by the terrorist organization as a cadet.
“We have been asking all friendly countries to take necessary measures against this terrorist group”.
The terrorists will be tried and sentenced in accordance with the law. Despite all transparency, some international media are distorting the facts.Detentions are being presented as “arrests”.Precautionary suspension of civil servants during investigations is presented as “sacking”.
Turkey’s fight with terrorist organizations, such as PKK/YPG and DAESH will continue as before.
Turkey has declared State of Emergency for three months as stipulated in the Constitution. This is not a Martial Law, civilian rule continues. Life of civilians, tourism and economy in Turkey will not be affected. It gives immediate powers to the government against terrorism.
Life has returned to normal the next day throughout the country. Turkish Airlines resumed flights within hours. Only two Turkish Airlines flights to Pakistan were cancelled during that night. There have been no major reservation cancellations by Pakistani passengers, which showed their support to Turkey.
The ambassador said they are grateful to the people and media of Pakistan for their support to Turkey’s democracy. =DNA
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Joint declaration of the Grand

National Assembly of Turkey

(EXTRAORDINARY SESSION ON 16 JULY 2016)

We, the Justice and Development Party, Republican People’s Party, Peoples’ Democratic Party and Nationalist Movement Party, condemn in the strongest terms the attempted coup d’Etat against our beloved nation, the national will, our State (particularly against members of parliament representing the national will), the Veteran Assembly; and we condemn the attacks against the Assembly which began on the night of 15 July and were quashed by the morning of 16 July.

Our nation stood against and thwarted this bloody coup attempt in a way which set an example to the whole world. This beloved nation, which protected the Republic of Turkey and its institutions at the cost of its life, deserves every praise and appreciation. We, the whole nation, are grateful to the martyrs who gave their lives for this cause and we will never forget these heroes.

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in its capacity as the representative of this beloved and brave nation and acting with the authority given to it by the nation, fulfilled its duty under attack from bombs and bullets, and demonstrated, once again, that it is a parliament worthy of the nation.

It should be remembered that the GNAT led the Independence War, ensured Turkey’s transition to democracy, developed the democratic parliamentary system, and fought to raise the nation out of destitution and poverty to make it a member of modern civilization.

Our Assembly stood, with one heart as a single body against the coup with great courage and dignity. It provided the necessary response to the coup plotters, and the necessary message to the world.

The resolve shown by the GNAT against this sinister attempted coup d’Etat is of great value to the further cementing and development of democracy in Turkey.

Everyone should know that any future attempt of aggression against our nation, the national will, or the Veteran Assembly will run up against the GNAT’s steely resolve, as it has done today.

The GNAT will continue to reflect the nation’s unwavering belief in democracy.

The resistance of all party groups in the Assembly to the coup attempt through a united position and with one voice is truly significant and will put its stamp on history. This united position and single voice will further strengthen our nation and national will.

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey is at work with one heart.

The National Assembly, will make those who staged such an attack against the nation and its sovereignty pay the heaviest price within the boundaries of the law.

This joint declaration is the most tangible proof that nothing will ever be the same in Turkey.

Despite our differences, we, all four political parties, stand by the national will with all our MPs and our entire organizations, and protect and shall protect the national forever.

Our nation should rest assured.

The Assembly and deputies of the Nation did not let fall and will not let fall what was entrusted to them by the nation.

Once again, we condemn in the strongest terms the attack against our democracy, our nation and the GNAT, which embodies the national will. We ask our people to avoid any act of violence, which goes beyond the limits of democratic reaction and does not befit our country.

We remember with respect, gratitude and mercy our martyrs who fell while resisting the coup. We wish a speedy recovery to those wounded and to our nation.

We avail ourselves of this opportunity to salute all brotherly and friendly countries which stood by Turkey and our nation and conveyed messages of support in these difficult times.