ISTANBUL / AA

In Istanbul, northwestern Turkey, the "July 15 Bike Tour" was held on Sunday to commemorate the victims of the 2016 coup attempt by the FETÖ terrorist group.

The event, held under the slogan "Riding Bikes for the National Will," was attended by Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, Deputy Head of the Presidency’s Communications Directorate İlhami Gıray Şahin, officials, and a large number of citizens.

The tour started from Taksim Square with about 400 motorcycles and 500 bicycles, heading to the July 15 Martyrs Bridge (Bosphorus), and concluded at the July 15 Martyrs Memorial near the bridge.

Minister Bak emphasized that the Turkish people wrote an epic on July 15, 2016, in defense of their will.

He stressed that this memory will not be forgotten, and that the ministry continues to introduce new generations to what he called the 'victory of the national will.'

For his part, Şahin said events will continue to commemorate the coup attempt and honor the memory of 253 martyrs and thousands of wounded, stressing that the aim is to embed these events in the memory of the people and the world.

In mid-July 2016, Turkey experienced a failed coup attempt carried out by limited army elements loyal to the FETÖ terrorist organization, who tried to take over the state's institutions, security and media.

The Turkish government declared July 15 of each year as 'Democracy and National Unity Day' in the country, in memory of the 253 martyrs who fell during the coup attempt.