Anadolu Agency reveals Photo of the Year winners

ANKARA (AA) – Startling images from Turkey’s July 15 coup attempt night, the punishing war in Syria plus the epic triumph of an Istanbul football team have dominated 2016’s Anadolu Agency Photo of the Year competition.

The winners of this year’s edition of the contest were revealed on Monday after over 165,000 people -- including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- voted in an online poll to choose their favorite.

Competition between the 45 selected images taken by Anadolu Agency photographers from Turkey and overseas was fierce, with the photographs divided into News, Life and Sport categories.

Elif Ozturk's image of a huge torch-lit mass of Turkish citizens marching on Istanbul’s Bosphorus Bridge -- now the July 15 Martyrs' Bridge -- was chosen as the best photograph in the News category.

Cem Genco's photo from Syria showed Gozyasi Nasir lying next to her father Mamum Halid Nasir who lost his legs, right hand, sight and hearing in a regime barrel bomb attack. It was chosen as best in the Life category.

Bulent Doruk’s photo of ecstatic staff and coach Senol Gunes of Istanbul football club Besiktas as they celebrated their league victory won the Sports category.