The Turkish nation acted in unity and solidarity and protected its elected administrators on the night of the July 15 coup attempt, Libya's Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said Sunday.
The July 15 martyrs were commemorated at an event organized by the Turkish Embassy in Tripoli. High-level Libyan officials including the chair of the Libyan State Supreme Council, Khalid al-Mishri, Defense Minister Mohammed Haddad and Dbeibah attended the program.
In his speech at the ceremony, Dbeibah said that the whole world followed the brave Turkish people's struggle against the coup attempt launched by a group of soldiers to seize power and establish a violent, dictatorial regime.
He underlined that it is important for Turkey to revive July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day every year to remain faithful to the civilians, police officers and soldiers whose blood was spilled that day.
"The fact that the civilians acted in unity and solidarity in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities showed the courage of the Turkish people and their protection of the elected administrators. Upon the call of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish people took to the streets against the putschists, and the administrations elected by the votes of the people were stronger in freedom and development. The Turkish people showed the people of the Arab region that the street is the guarantor of democracy and gave them hope," he said.
Noting that the democracy and stability in Turkey are the biggest force behind the administration in the fight against structures such as the PKK, Daesh and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), Dbeibah said: "We, as Libya, support Turkey's fight against terrorism and its stance against dictatorial regimes."
Underlining their trust in the Turkish people's struggle for their freedom, Dbeibah said, "May Allah have mercy on the martyrs who gave their lives for a better tomorrow in Turkey, Libya and the region."
Speaking at the program attended by embassy members, senior commanders from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) Libya Task Group, foreign mission representatives, Turkish business people and other guests, Turkey's Ambassador to Tripoli Kenan Yılmaz said that on July 15, FETÖ was eliminated. Yılmaz noted the Turkish people played the biggest part in the victory by showing that they do not recognize any power over their own will and that they are ready to shed blood to protect their state and democratic rights.
Addressing those in attendance, the ambassador said: "I wish God's mercy on our citizens who were martyred on the night of July 15 while defending democracy, and express my gratitude to our veterans. Our country is fighting resolutely both at home and abroad. It has begun to be understood internationally that FETÖ is not a social movement dealing with education and charity, as it tries to present itself, but a dark and insidious terrorist organization with political and economic ambitions."
Referring to Libya's stance after the coup attempt, Yılmaz said, "The fact that Libya was among the countries that took immediate measures against the extensions of the organization after the treacherous coup attempt in our country is remembered with appreciation. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Libyan authorities once again."
FETÖ and its United States-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 251 people dead and 2,734 injured.
FETÖ was also behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
Standing against the threat, the Turkish people courageously showed the world that they would not tolerate any attempt to thwart their will as expressed through their democratically elected government.
Since October 2016, July 15 has been marked as Democracy and National Unity Day. This year, some 9,000 events were organized across the country to remember the victims and celebrate victory against putschists.
Turkey and Libya have seen closer ties in recent years, especially after the signing of security and maritime boundary pacts in November 2019, along with Turkey's aid to help the legitimate Libyan government push back putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar's forces. Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Turkey has supported the country's United Nations-recognized government against Haftar.
Libya's polls were scheduled to take place on Dec. 24 but were postponed amid disagreements between political rivals. No new date for the vote has been agreed upon.
On Feb. 10, the Libyan House of Representatives named former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha to form a new government.
Incumbent Prime Minister Dbeibah, however, rejected parliament's move, saying that he will hand over power only to an elected government.
The U.N. said it still recognizes Dbeibah as Libya's interim prime minister.
