Veteran with 2 bullets still in his body travels across Türkiye to recount night of 2016 coup bid

By Talip Demirci

ANTALYA, Türkiye (AA) - In the seven years since the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), a veteran who sustained injuries during the coup bid in Istanbul continues to travel across the country and share his firsthand experiences of that night with younger generations.

In an interview with Anadolu, Tarik Solak, visiting Antalya’s Kas district on the occasion of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day, said he is working to pass on his experiences of that fateful night to younger generations.

Solak was among tens of thousands of people who took to the streets in Istanbul to protect the nation's will during the coup attempt carried out by FETO infiltrators in the Turkish Armed Forces.

He said even though years have passed since then, he will never forget the bloody night.

When he first saw tanks on a bridge on TV during the night of July 15, he thought that it was a military exercise, but that as more time passed, they realized the reality of the situation and decided to walk towards Mecidikoy Square, suspecting a potential terrorist attack.

A diverse and rapidly growing crowd, from young to old, was gathered there on the streets, walking together, chanting slogans, and carrying Turkish flags.

Telling how he was shot that night in his left shoulder, wrist, and chest, Solak said: “I still have two bullets in my body, and I live with them. I will live with them for the rest of my life."

"We fought tooth and nail and sacrificed ourselves to never give up the fight. I was the first injured person taken to the hospital. When I put my left hand on my chest, I passed out there," he said.

The people who endured such pain and the children who were left without parents that night carry within them a medal that will remain with them throughout their lives, he said.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 252 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

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.