373 children orphaned by Turkey’s failed coup attempt, report says

ANKARA

A total of 373 children were left without either a mother or a father after 250 civilians were killed in the failed July 2016 coup attempt, according to a new book published by the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) social policies directorate.

“The rate of our martyrs [killed in the coup attempt] who have a child is determined as 61.4 percent. The rate of our martyrs without a child is 38.6 percent. The Fethullahist Terrorist Organization’s (FETÖ) coup attempt left 373 children without a mother or father,” read the book titled “Analysis of the Victory of the 15 July National Will.” 

“The treacherous putschists’ that caused a total of our 373 offspring to be left fatherless or motherless shows that they attacked with violent ambitions that do not recognize any religion, ethical norms or rules,” added the 304-page book.

It also further noted that 64.5 percent of the “coup martyrs” were married, while this figure was 63.5 percent for the “coup veterans” who fought against but survived the coup attempt. “These findings are in compliance with Turkey’s average figures,” it added.

The youngest person to be killed in the coup was 15 years old and the youngest person wounded was nine-years old, according to the book.