Turkish Parliament holds special session on July 15 coup attempt

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) held a special session to commemorate the July 15 failed coup attempt on the anniversary of the putsch bid, attended by all political parties.

Parliamentary Speaker İsmail Kahraman made the opening speech, in which he highlighted Turkey's determination to protect democracy, and come together amid threats to its unity.

Addressing the parliament, Kahraman recalled the defeated coup night during which the parliament building was also bombed.

The speaker said he immediately convened the general assembly of the parliament despite the bombing by FETO members.

About the lawmakers who attended the historic session on the coup bid night, he said: "All of us, the entire parliament was [July 15, 2016] Sütçü Imam and Nene Hatun."

Sütçü Imam and Nene Hatun are well-known heroes of modern Turkey's history.

Sütçü Imam, also known as Uzun Oluk, was the leader of the first alleged armed action against the French occupying forces in Turkey's Maraş province Oct. 31, 1919.

Nene Hatun played an important role for the salvation of Erzurum province from Russian army at the start of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878.

Kahraman said Turkey would never allow itself to get divided. "We are Turkey; we cannot be divided; we cannot let Turkey get divided; we will proceed on our path with all our power."

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım also addressed the deputies in the general assembly and said the Turkish army had now become more powerful after last summer's coup attempt.

More than 7,000 military personnel have been dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces over suspected links to FETÖ since the defeated coup.

"Turkish army is more powerful today in comparison to the period before July 15. Turkish army is the army of glorious nation," Yıldırım said.

"July 15 is a day in which faithful, crazy Turks crushed the tanks. July 15 is a day in which the nation thwarted the weapons with their bare hands against the occupation. July 15 is a day in which a lesson was given to world states on how a nation should be, on how a land should be defended."

The Justice and Development (AK Party, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) attended the session.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also attended the session, and is expected to address the parliament at 2.32 a.m., the time the parliament was bombed on the night of the coup attempt.