JULY 15: Causes and consequences

July 15 marks the anniversary of a foiled coup that was carried out in Turkey now pronounced as Turkiyee. Many analysts have provided different insights into the events leading up to the coup, however many of these insights are based on biased observations. In this article, I will discuss the events leading up to the event, the individuals behind this failed coup, and finally the consequences produced by this act which later proved to be a watershed moment in the Turkish political arena. Before getting into the details, we first must investigate and study the details of the Turkish political environment. Turkey by no means is an Islamic republic. Though the state religion of Turkey is Islam with approximately 99 percent of its population acknowledging Islam as its religion, however Turkish politicians, establishment, and most of the public fancies Turkey as a secular state, an ideology and idea derived from the teachings of Turkey's founding father Kamal Ataturk. A secular state is basically a state where religion is confined to only one's personality and the policy-making process carried out by legislators is not influenced by the teachings of a specific religion. However, there is a minority sect in Turkey that wants Islamic rules and regulations to be enforced across the country. The current president of Turkey Recap Tayyab Erdogan though is inclined towards Islamic teachings, his policy-making process is usually irrespective of Islamic ideology. Having said this, President Erdogan did introduce numerous minor reforms in the state i.e., restoring the status of the Hagia Sophia museum as a mosque, and lifting the ban on beards and wearing a head scarf enforced by the Turkish armed forces. These drastic but minor reforms did not dent his reputation and fame. President Erdogan's Justice and development party has not up to this date enforced laws that could potentially curtail the survival of secularism in Turkey. Erdogan rose to fame when he was elected as Istanbul's mayor back in 1994. He initiated a political party of his own in the late 1990s. He was elected as Turkey's prime minister in 2003 and remained the PM for the next 11 years. He was elected as Turkey's president back in 2014 and has maintained this position ever since. Erdogan was detained by the regime for reciting a poem attributed to Adnan Menderes, the slain premier of the country who was executed by the junta. At this stage, I would like to introduce you to Muhammed Fethullah Gülen, the de-facto ruler of the Gulen movement. The Gulen movement aims at sizing control of various important positions in Turkish political and military institutes to introduce drastic Islamic values and culture in Turkey.

The Gulen movement is not only a movement based upon an ideology rather this movement is funded and fuelled by numerous financial institutions run by the Gulen Foundation under dubious names. In addition to this many educational institutes are also being managed by Gulen and his stalwarts in Turkey and overseas. These educational institutes serve the purpose of brainwashing and corrupting the mindset of the youth. Pak-Turk group of schools and colleges was previously managed by Gulen's stalwarts, and for the course of thirty years not only provided quality education to Pakistani students but also scholarships to competent and aspiring students, thus numerous students had to sign a contract with Gulen foundation regarding the terms and conditions of the scholarship granted. Issuance of a scholarship was subject to becoming a volunteer in the Gulen Foundation and serving in Gulen-run institutes for a definite period after completion of an educational program. Gulen-run institutes seemed appealing to many parents and students as these institutes not only provided quality education at affordable rates but also assisted students to prepare for university entrance exams. In addition to this free accommodation was also provided to out-of-station students, so that students could focus on their education without worrying about other petty matters, these educational institutions as stated earlier had a hidden motive to recruit new members for the Gulen movement. It has now been revealed that the Gulen Foundation had its recruits and members in the military, and these recruits used to leak out and provide the answers to the questions being asked in a competitive or military exam prior to the commencement of the exams. This led to a cent percent success rate in competitive and military exams of the students enrolled in Gulen-run educational institutes. The members or recruits operated under a pseudonym, and their real names were unknown. This was to prevent a whistleblower from leaking out the operational norms which the movement followed. Slowly and gradually Gulen movement began to strengthen its roots in Turkey and elsewhere. Judges influenced by Gulen's ideology were installed in the judiciary sector of the country, servicemen in the establishment sector of the country, and finally administrators in the administrative sector of the society. The Gulen movement for many years operated in secrecy, without mandating its core beliefs, Fetullah Gulen enjoyed close ties with numerous Turkish presidents who ruled Turkey over the course of 30 years. Successive governments promoted Gulen's educational program and provided grants to his chain of educational institutes, without releasing the effects their actions are going to have sooner or later. The Gulen movement was an organized movement with a sophisticated system put in place by the high-ups of the Gulen movement to monitor the activities of recruits. Gulen Foundation had installed so-called Imams to monitor the activities of Gulen recruits based in a specific region. There used to be a grand Imam who was responsible for communicating the message between the high-ups and sub-Imams. Each province had a sum-Imam to monitor the situation in each province, and then each city and district had a subordinating Imam. Usually, the identities of these imams were unknown, and many recruits were unaware of the original identity of the imams, sub-imams, and sub-ordinating imams. Gulen recruits inducted into the military were instructed by these imams not to conceal their ideology while serving in the military. These recruits were also asked to adopt the norms and practices preferred by liberal and secular-minded military officials. Thus, Gulen recruits kept their mouths shut and zipped regarding their ideology and connection with the Gulen movement. Numerous liberal-minded whistle-blowers who after discovering the motives behind the Gulen movement and its mode of operation, were hastily persecuted by Gulenist persecutors appointed in the judiciary. However, as time went by the relationship between Gulen, and the government began to deteriorate. In the late 1990s Gulen moved to the USA on the pretext of deteriorating health conditions and seeking medical treatment abroad. He never returned to Turkey and managed to seek asylum in the US.

The events that occurred on July 15 are chilling and can give any induvial chills and shivers down the spine. On July 15th, 2016, the Gulenists decided to carry out their grand operation, taking control of Turkey and its institutes. Gulenists had planned meticulously each aspect of this operation and it was a by-product of years of planning. Now the wait was over. On the evening of July 15, a unit of Turkish military blocked the Faith Sultan Mehmet bridge situated in the coastal city of Turkey Istanbul. The military officers on duty asked the public to lock themselves in their residences to evade bloodbath and confusion. It became quite evident to the public that it was observing a coup attempt unfold in Infront of its very eyes. At 10 pm local Turkish time, an F-16 belonging to a squadron of the Turkish air force began making low passes over Ankara and flew at astonishingly low altitudes to make the public aware of the gravity and severity of the issue. Half an hour later an armored division belonging to the unit of the coup plotters entered Ankara and started to make its journey towards special services headquarters. A sergeant stationed at the headquarters killed the head of this specific armored division and thwarted the efforts of the division to take control of the headquarter. Coup plotters and army officers belonging to the division carrying out the operation began to fire indiscriminately at the public protesting against the coup attempt. Simultaneously officers belonging to another unit began to shoot unarmed civilians participating in a peaceful protest in Istanbul. At half past 11, a unit headed by one of the coup plotters bombed the special services training center situated in Ankara. Troops then began to assemble themselves inside Istanbul airport and took utter control of the airport. The air traffic controllers were barred to carry out normal operational procedures. Gunshots were also heard at the general staff headquarters situated in Ankara. At half past midnight, an Apache attack helicopter being utilized by the coup plotters began firing at the officers stationed at the MIT {not the world-renowned university but Turkish secret intelligence bureau }?headquarters. The officers returned the fire shots by firing at the helicopters flying at low altitude. The scuffle and the encounter between the MIT officers and the putschists, however, the putschists failed to attain control of MIT headquarters. The control of state-run television is critical during a coup operation, and this operation was no exception. At a quarter past midnight, putschists stormed into the state-run television's headquarters and forced the news reader at gunpoint to read out the coup declaration. President Erdogan was away on a vacation with his family when he became aware of the recent developments unfolding in the country. AT one hour past midnight, he appeared in an exclusive interview with CNN-Turkey via Face app and urged the nation to stand up against the act of supposed treason and tyranny being carried out by the putschists.?However, the heads of all three military wings the navy, air force, and ground forces were nowhere to be seen. These three high-profile military leaders were being detained by the coup plotters and were imprisoned at an undisclosed location. The public took out to the streets after President Erdogan requested his fellow countrymen to oppose this act of treason. Azan {call to prayer} was being chanted from the minarets of different mosques situated across the country. Calling to prayer i.e., azan at an odd time is an indication of war and unrest and a call to defend oneself from the invading forces and to thwart the success of such forces. Putschists did not anticipate the ferocity and severity of the public reaction during the planning stage. Thousands took to the streets and began to express resistance by stopping the advancing armored division comprising of tanks with mere hands. Simultaneously numerous generals who were not participating in the coup attempt through their interviews implied that the coup plotters comprised no more than a few units and that the military was taking concrete steps to curtail the coup attempt. Many civilians formed a human chain in front of the armored division to retard its movement. At 1 am local time, the putschists concentrated their efforts to seize the control of sole communication satellite operator in Turkey Turk Sat. The motive behind attacking Turk sat was to isolate Turkey from the rest of the world and to ensure that no news comes out of Turkey regarding the coup. However, the putschists failed miserably in their attempt, as the security guards responsible for maintaining the security of the premises opposed the attempts of the putschists to seize control of such an important asset. The standoff between the putschists and the security guards continued till dawn break and one security guard was killed during the ambush.?When the truth dawned upon the putschists that they could not seize Turk sat building they bombed it heavily. Coup plotters then turned their attention towards the hotel where President Erdogan was being accommodated. Erdogan had a slight advantage over the putschists in terms of intelligence sources, and thus Erdogan and his stalwarts vacated the buildings minutes before the operation. Local administration deployed a police force to confront the coup plotters and within minutes the whole police force was on the ground assessing the situation and taking necessary measures to confront the putschists. At about 2 am local Turkish time, the speaker of the Turkish parliament summoned an important and emergency assembly sitting and proceeding.?In Ankara, tanks began to demolish automobiles parked in their path to cease the movement of the armored division.?To break the morale of the police, force the putschists bombed a police station and special services headquarters. Fifty police officers were killed during the saga. Protestors began to grow in number exponentially and managed to confront the putschists present inside the TRT headquarters. Feeling helpless in front of the protestors the putschists retreated and normal transmission was resumed. The helicopters being operated by the putschists fired at the presidential complex/ palace and the MIT HQ. On the night of the coup, the Turkish parliament building was bombed seven times! After the residents became aware of the fact that the helicopters and the F-16 being operated by the putschists were taking off from Akinci base, present on the outskirts of Ankara city, the residents started to converge in front of the airbase and tried to enter the airstrip to prevent the aircraft from carrying out the offensive. However, the soldiers belonging to the unit participating in the coup attempt opened indiscriminate gunshots and fire on the protestors. The civilians and the law enforcement agencies managed to take control of Ankara's Ataturk airport and paved the path for President Erdogan to return to Ankara. At 3:20 am local time, Erdogan's aircraft touched down and he was welcomed by a vibrant and enthusiastic crowd, which was anticipating his return. After Erdogan was back at the helm of the nation's affairs, a full-scale operation against the putschists was launched. At 6 am local time, the troops participating in the coup laid down their arms at the faith sultan Mehmet bridge situated in Istanbul. It must be beard in mind that the sultan bridge was the first venue that the coup plotters seized during the initial stages of the operation. As the day unfolded, many putschists laid down their arms and by mid-day, the whole coup operation reached a premature end. Numerous putschists were apprehended the same day, and a crackdown operation was initiated by the Turkish government to apprehend all the individuals involved in this act of treason and bloodbath. What followed next is history.

The consequences of this coup proved to be everlasting. A state of emergency was declared across the country and was only lifted quite recently. Numerous military officials, bureaucrats, prosecutors, and educationists believed to have links with Gulen were nabbed and underwent swift judicial trials. Many educational institutions, news outlets, and corporate businesses believed to be run by Gulen's stalwarts were identified, rounded up, and either closed or the Turkish government took over these entities. Pakturk group one of the first entities supposedly belonging to Gulen himself was closed shortly after the coup attempt. Turkish teaching and non-teaching staff deputed at Pakturk, were forced to leave Pakistan by the Pakistani government at the request of President Erdogan. The chairman/ head of the Pakturk group in Pakistan mysteriously disappeared shortly after the coup attempt and reappeared in Turkey a few months later and underwent judicial trial.?Nevertheless, the Turkish government strived to eliminate the control that Gulen had over the Turkish Judicial, military, and educational sectors.?Once President Erdogan was an ally of Gulen and supported the Gulenist cause. However, rifts started to appear between the 2 men when Erdogan abandoned his hard-core conservative ideology after he was imprisoned back in the late 1990s. As the saying goes on "Today's friend, is potentially tomorrow's enemy". Gulen initiated a series of attacks against Erdogan's Justice and development party. He categorically two or three years prior to the failed coup attempt, urged his followers to overthrow Erdogan's government by force. This for many was the first hint and sign of trouble and made the political community aware of Gulen's future endeavors. Erdogan himself urged the USA to extradite Gulen to Turkey but his request proved to be futile. US government up to this date, refutes Erdogan's claim that Gulen was the mastermind behind the failed coup attempt. However former deputy assistant sectary of state Mathew Bryza believes the scenario to be quite the opposite. According to Bryza, Gulen was in the act behind the failed coup attempt and the US government is harboring Gulen and his associates. Gulen resides in 400 acres mansion situated in Pennsylvania and his mansion serves as the nerve center to carry out the operations across the globe. According to Bryza, the security guards stationed at Gulen's Pennsylvania estate are Turkish nationals, who were illegally smuggled into the States and were provided asylum by the US government upon Gulen's request. It seems as if Gulen has a militia force of his own in the United States. Another interesting aspect of this whole movement is that secrecy was close to the movement's core. Volunteers and recruits loyal to Gulen would communicate with one another via a messaging platform devolved by a Gulen-run tech startup. For many years Gulenists used By lock as an alternative platform where they could operate and communicate in uttermost secrecy. In February 2016, months prior to the commencement of the coup attempt, BYLOCK was successfully hacked by the Turkish intelligence agency MIT.

Distressing and haunting revelations were made after thousands of conversations that took place between the Gulenists were scrutinized. Gulenists stopped using BYLOCK after the hacking operation and reverted to using conventional messaging apps i.e., WhatsApp.

Gulen still remains at large. The USA has blocked all the attempts made by the Turkish government to extradite Gulen to Turkey. Gulen himself denies any involvement in the coup attempt. Whatever the case might be, one thing is for sure July 15th was a watershed moment in Turkey's history.?Personally, I believe this specific coup attempt was destined to fail as a minority of the Turkish military was carrying out the operation. Plus, the ideological difference between the Gulenists and secular-minded military officials was also one of the main contributing factors behind the failure of this coup attempt. Resistance against this coup attempt was not as peaceful as it generally seems. Approximately 300 unarmed civilians lost their lives during the resistance process.

I hope you liked my article. There are many other factors that led to the failure of this coup attempt, but due to the scarcity of space, I am limiting myself to important factors and facts only.