President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan came together with martyrs' relatives and veterans during a luncheon at the Presidential Complex on the occasion of July 15 Democracy and National Unity.

Noting that the number of people martyred in Turkiye since 1984 is nearly 17 thousand, approximately 9 thousand of them soldiers, police, village guards and other state officials, President Erdoğan stated that the number of terrorists that have been eliminated over the same period of time is, however, beyond comparison to the number of martyrs.

The swamp itself has been drained instead of wasting time with mosquitos through the new strategy in the fight against terror, President Erdoğan underlined and continued: "What we have been going through since the July 15 coup attempt shows how right we are in this determination and decision of ours. The sole target of the treacherous FETO gang is our country's unity, solidarity, and future just like other terrorist organizations such as PKK, DAESH, etc. As Turkiye has started to make its own decisions and advance towards the goals it itself has set, it has become increasingly easier for us to overcome the obstacles raised in our way."

 "We will work harder to build a safer, stronger and brighter future for ourselves under the guidance of the lessons we have drawn from the recent incidents in our country and region," President Erdoğan said, stressing: "We will act in a more determined fashion to protect our homeland and defend our state and not to allow anyone to silence our adhan or lower our flag."

President Erdoğan added: "We will further consolidate our position by bolstering our democracy and economy, and by firmly protecting our independence and future. July 15 symbolizes our conviction and determination to do so."

Drawing attention to Turkiye's humanitarian relief efforts, President Erdoğan said: "There is no other country in the world which hosts as many refugees as Turkey does and still experiences so few troubles. We have all witnessed that the presence of just a few hundred refugees in Europe has almost resulted in the overthrow of governments and the revival of racism. We are pleased to share what we have in our hand as opposed to those who themselves live in prosperity but turn a blind eye to other societies that grapple with poverty and even with famine. Do you know which country ranks first in terms of the support provided to the oppressed and the victims in the world? Turkiye. We rank first with 8 billion dollars' worth of aid. How does this happen? This happens because this is what the values of our civilization necessitate. We have always lent a helping hand and we will continue to do so. We, as members of a civilization that beliefs sharing will bring about abundance, will further advance our position." (ILKHA)