300,000 operations held against terrorists: Interior Minister

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

Turkey carried out more than 300,000 counter-terrorism operations since the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016, the country's interior minister said on July 15.

Speaking at a dinner hosting the families of veterans and martyrs who fell victim to the failed coup, Suleyman Soylu said Turkey lost many martyrs over the years in its fight against traitors and terrorists who aimed to divide the country with a total of 324,243 operations conducted in three years.

Soylu said a total of 69,496 arrests were made against all terrorist organizations over the past three years, while 5,778 terrorists were neutralized.

"We conducted 9,903 operations against FETÖ in 2019," he said, adding: "We are making [them] account for July 15 manyfold."

"This country has suffered a lot from betrayals," Soylu said.

"Whatever you call terrorism and to whatever source you attribute it, we will eliminate terrorism from these lands and we intend to make Turkey the world's safest country," he said.

Soylu underlined that besides Turkey's battle against terrorism, it has been dealing with irregular mass migration and combating global drug trade.

Turkey marks July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day. The day is commemorated with events honoring those who lost their lives, while defeating the putschists and to remember bravery of the nation.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the legitimate state apparatus, through infiltrations into Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.