Turkey embassy honours victims of attempted coup

Muscat: The victims of an attempted coup on July 15 last year in Turkey are being honoured early by the Turkish Embassy in Oman. 246 Turkish citizens lost their lives and more than 2,000 were wounded during the coup attempt.
“We cannot bring back those that lost their lives. There are still many people who are affected because of their families. May God not show such dreadful days to any nation.
Illegal
“Any attempt to control the existing system is illegal and is not helping the country. It doesn’t help any country. There is one way to change it if you are not happy with the government, we are a constitutional democracy; you can participate in the elections and win the majority.
“To overthrow the [Turkish] government should be by choice, not by force,” Ambassador Atilay Ersan of the Republic of Turkey said. He had organised a small gathering in honour of the Turkish citizens, who lost their lives defending the constitution.
“We owe it to our citizens, who turned themselves into human shields to protect democracy and the futures of our children. We are here to honour their memories. We are here to applaud their bravery and to reiterate that we are grateful for their sacrifices and those who lost their lives rest in peace,” Ersan said.
Gratitude
“I want to express our gratitude to Omani authorities for standing by the Turkish government and demonstrating their solidarity during the difficult times without hesitation,” the ambassador added.