Turkish opposition party leader marks 5th anniversary of defeated coup

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish opposition party leader on Wednesday marked the fifth anniversary of the 2016 defeated coup by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

"This great nation once again declared to the world that how it has embarked on the path of democracy with its epic stance on July 15, (2016)," Meral Aksener told her Good (IYI) Party's parliamentary group.

The Turkish nation has always preferred democracy and the supremacy of the national will, Aksener said.

"After every coup … our nation made coup plotters pay the heaviest political price," she said.

Aksener called on the government to investigate the political wing of the FETO.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 injured.

Turkey marks June 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 judiciary.​​​​​​​