Turkey marks one year since failed coup; thousands expected to participate in unity marches

Istanbul: Turkey is commemorating the first anniversary of quashing last summer’s coup attempt with events over the weekend in Istanbul and Ankara. [caption id=“attachment_3741909” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Getty Images[/caption] Thousands are expected at “national unity marches” in the two cities, and speeches are planned in parliament and at an iconic Istanbul bridge. Turkish soldiers attempted to overthrow the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan using tanks, warplanes and helicopters on 15 July last year. The coup plotters bombed the country’s parliament and other locations but their attempt failed. Heeding a call by the president and ignoring a curfew announced by the coup plotters, thousands of people went out on the streets to resist the coup. Some 250 people were killed and more than 2,000 were injured. Thirty-five coup plotters were also killed.