Turkish security forces have killed more than 17,000 terrorists since July 2015, Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Wednesday.

"Turkey is determined to end terrorism, and our campaigns against terrorists will continue with the same precision," Akar reiterated during a memorial ceremony to honor the civilians killed during the defeated coup attempt of 2016.

Since the beginning of 2020, 1,900 terrorists have been killed, Akar added.

The ceremony was also attended by the chiefs of the land, air and naval forces as well as chief of general staff.

The Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt on July 15, 2016, which killed 251 people and injured nearly 2,200.

Also touching upon the fight against FETÖ, Akar said some 20,000 people employed in the military have been dismissed over their links to FETO since the coup bid.