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July 15, 2016: Türkiye's night of defiance

On the night of July 15, 2016, thousands of courageous men and women in Türkiye took to the streets to defend democracy against a coup attempt orchestrated by the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

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July 15, 2016: Türkiyes night of defiance

After 8 a.m., Gen. Hulusi Akar was rescued from pro-coup forces.

By 10 in the morning, a total of 1,563 armed FETÖ members were detained across the country.

Police special forces entered the General Staff Headquarters at 10.25 a.m. to detain the remaining pro-coup soldiers there, while less than 50 minutes later, bombs were dropped on the runway of the Akıncı Air Base-used as a command center during the coup bid-to prevent the takeoff of putschist-piloted planes.

Nearly 200 soldiers at General Staff Headquarters surrendered to police.

Around 1,374 suspected FETÖ-linked military personnel were detained across the country, including the 58th Artillery Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Murat Aygün.

As of 12.57 a.m., then-Prime Minister Yıldırım declared that the coup had been defeated and democracy had triumphed in Türkiye.