Kenya's memorial forest honors Turkish martyrs

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – A special plantation was opened in Kenya on Wednesday to honor the martyrs of Turkey’s 2016 defeated coup.

The July 15 Martyrs Memorial Forest, located in the Ngong Hills area on the outskirts of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, was inaugurated on the fourth anniversary of the July 15, 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.

A number of Kenyans and Turks joined Turkish Ambassador Cemil Ahmet Miroglu and other Turkish and Kenyan officials at the ceremony.

“We are planting these trees to honor the spirits of our martyrs. We are very happy that our Kenyan friends are supporting us today, and this forest will always be a symbol of our friendship,” Miroglu told Anadolu Agency.

Charity Muthoni Munyasya, Kenya’s deputy chief conservator of forests, thanked Turkey for helping Kenya achieve its conservation goals with this tribute to Turkish heroes.

Kenyans and Turks from all walks of life planted 251 trees to commemorate the 251 civilians and soldiers who sacrificed their lives to foil the attempted putsch orchestrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

In South Sudan, Turkish Ambassador Tugrul Biltekin recalled that President Salva Kiir Mayardit was one of the first world leaders to call Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the defeated coup.

The ambassador said Turkey was committed to help South Sudan in all aspects through its time of transition.

He said Ankara will also extend as much support as it can to help South Sudan overcome the coronavirus pandemic.

He reaffirmed that Turkey and South Sudan’s bilateral relationship was strong and Ankara was ready to support the people of South Sudan in any situation.

“Turkey will continue to work diligently for the prosperity of its partners including South Sudan despite all the challenges exposed by terrorist organizations such as FETO at home and abroad. It will never give up its struggle for building just societies across the world and will always uphold democratic and social values against all terrorist organizations.”

Turkey marks July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day with events nationwide to commemorate those who lost their lives beating back the putschists and to remember the bravery of the nation.

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 the judiciary.