National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): Turkey on Monday categorically held
Fethullah Glen Terrorist Organization (FET™) responsible for an
attempt of failed coup and said the terrorists would be punished in
accordance with the law.
“This coup attempt was staged in no uncertain terms by the
Fethullah Glen Terrorist Organization (FET™) and our Government has
been constantly exposing the real motives of this terrorist group
and its leader,” a statement by Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
said issued here.
The statement mentioned that the foiled coup was the latest
criminal act revealing the danger posed by FET™.
During the operations held against the terrorist group, more
than 6,000 have been detained so far and more than 100 coup plotters
were captured dead. The operations continue.
The statement added that more than 190 of Turkish citizens
were left dead and more than 1,400 wounded.
A group of eight involved in the coup attempt fled to Greece
onboard a helicopter that they stole. Necessary steps have been
taken for the return of the suspects and the helicopter.
“Our President, Prime Minister, Government, Members of Turkish
Grand National Assembly and the Turkish people all together defeated
this coup attempt and stood by democracy and rule of law,” it said.
Giving an overview of the coup, the statement said “On the
evening of July 15th, a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces
attempted to stage a coup in various cities of Turkey, particularly
in Ankara and Istanbul.
It was understood in a short time that this was more than a
treacherous plot: It was a terrorist campaign. The perpetrators
fired at their own people, stabbed their commanders in the back and
bombed the National Parliament and the Office of the Presidency.
From the very beginning, the command chain and vast majority
of the Turkish Armed Forces stood up against the coup attempt. It
was merely some elements of the Air Forces, Gendarmerie and armored
units that joined the violent conspiracy. Both the police and public
prosecutors immediately took necessary measures to foil the
attempt”.
The statement said it was the Turkish nation who thwarted the
plot.
“They displayed a historic solidarity as they took to the
streets and remained defiant. They stood bravely in front of the
tanks and reclaimed their democratic rights,” it said.
The Foreign Ministry said terrorists tried to broadcast their
message by taking over studios of the state TV (TRT) and raiding
private media outlets. Yet the plotters’ attempt to control media
did not last long.
It must be noted that the Turkish media also played a key role
in subsiding the coup attempt, it added.
Throughout the process, all the political parties and members
of the Turkish Grand National Assembly stood firmly by democracy,
democratic politics, democratic institutions and the Constitution.
A Joint Declaration in defense of democracy was issued during
the extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly on the 16th of
July.