Türkiye will continue to fight the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) until it ceases to be a threatening element for the country, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday as the Turkish nation marked the ninth anniversary of the failed coup attempt of July 15, 2016.
"We will continue our fight against FETÖ with the same determination, without slowing down," Erdoğan said in his address at a commemoration ceremony at police headquarters in Ankara’s Gölbaşı.
Erdoğan underlined that the sacrifices of the martyrs and the struggles of the veterans on July 15 "were not in vain," emphasizing that the vision of a Türkiye free from terrorism will be their legacy.
"Our Parliament, the Presidential Complex, the General Staff headquarters, the Ankara Police Department, TRT and TÜRKSAT, as well as the Special Operations Headquarters in Gölbaşı, were attacked," he reminded.
Describing FETÖ members as "the 21st-century assassins," Erdoğan reminded that 253 citizens have been killed.
"We can never repay the heroes who sacrificed their lives to keep our country alive, but refused to surrender their homeland, which they considered more precious than their own lives, to the invaders."
"We successfully overcame the organization's greatest threats and greatest attacks. First, on Dec. 17 and 25, and then on July 15, we defeated the traitors. However, we have still not been able to eradicate the FETÖ virus from our system completely," Erdoğan said.
The defeated coup attempt, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded, was plotted and carried out by FETÖ.
Along with the 2016 coup attempt, FETÖ is also accused of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
Türkiye has targeted the terrorist group's active members and sleeper cells nonstop, and its influence has been much reduced since 2016. However, the group maintains a vast network, including infiltrators suspected of still operating within Turkish institutions.
FETÖ backers in army ranks and civil institutions have disguised their loyalty, as operations and investigations have indicated since the 2016 coup attempt. FETÖ is implicated in a string of cases related to its alleged plots to imprison its critics, money laundering, fraud and forgery.
The terrorist group faces operations almost daily as investigators still try to unravel its massive network of infiltrators everywhere. In 2024 alone, police apprehended hundreds of FETÖ suspects across the country, including fugitives on western borders trying to flee to Europe.
Those apprehended mainly were low-ranking members of the group, as high-ranking members managed to flee the country before and immediately after the coup attempt.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has prepared 34,896 indictments against FETÖ since the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, it said on the same day.
According to reports, the Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau has concluded investigations into 201,617 cases related to the coup attempt.
During this period, investigations into 283,274 individuals have been completed, and 34,896 indictments have been issued.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, eight suspects were arrested from FETÖ’s secret structure within the Foreign Ministry, following an investigation by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. They were identified as using the organization's secret communication tool, ByLock, and had records of repeated calls from payphones and landlines. Witness testimony indicates they are members of the organization.
In this context, detention warrants have been issued for five suspects who were dismissed from their jobs at the foreign affairs organization due to their connections to the organization, and three who are still employed by the institution.
It was noted that operations to apprehend the suspects are ongoing as part of an investigation launched in four provinces, with a focus in Ankara.
Commemorative events marking the ninth anniversary of the July 15, 2016, defeated coup attempt in Türkiye were held Tuesday in cities and countries worldwide, including Greece, Belgium, Italy, the U.K., Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Russia and Switzerland.
The events paid tribute to the martyrs who lost their lives resisting the coup and highlighted efforts to preserve democracy and national unity in Türkiye.
In Greece, Türkiye's ambassador to Athens emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in combating FETÖ, which orchestrated the failed coup, calling for strengthened bilateral ties to ensure lasting peace and security.
The Turkish Embassy in Brussels hosted a remembrance ceremony attended by diplomats, community members and officials, stressing the global threat posed by FETÖ and Türkiye's determination to dismantle its networks abroad.
In Italy and the island country of Malta, diplomats and Turkish communities gathered to honor the victims of the coup attempt and reaffirm their commitment to democracy and stability.
At the Turkish Embassy in London, a ceremony was held to honor the martyrs of 2016 and to stress Türkiye's ongoing commitment to combating the FETÖ terror network.
In Kuwait and Pakistan, embassy officials held solemn ceremonies recognizing the sacrifice of those who defended Türkiye's democratic institutions, highlighting the significance of international collaboration in counterterrorism efforts.
The Turkish Embassy in Amman, Jordan, hosted a remembrance program highlighting Türkiye's ongoing commitment to democracy and counterterrorism.
Bulgaria, Georgia and the Balkan region also joined the commemoration, with events in Sofia, Pristina and Skopje, North Macedonia, emphasizing solidarity with Türkiye's fight against terrorism and the importance of democratic resilience.
In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the Turkish Embassy held a program including a photo exhibit and documentary screening to commemorate the coup attempt.
Türkiye's Embassy in Moscow held a tribute ceremony, highlighting ongoing efforts to eliminate FETÖ's presence in Russia.
In Austria, the Turkish Embassy in Vienna gathered diplomats and community members to remember the nation's unity and determination during the coup attempt.
In Switzerland, a ceremony was held at the Turkish Embassy in Bern to mark the day, attended by Türkiye's Ambassador to Bern, Şebnem Incesu, and community members.
There were also other commemorative events which were organized in the Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva to mark July 15, Democracy and National Unity Day.
