Abdel Hamid Dbeibeh attended on Sunday a ceremony organized by the Turkish embassy in Libya to mark the sixth anniversary of the 2016 Turkish coup d’état attempt, which Ankara revived as ‘Democracy and National Unity Day’.
In a speech during the event, Dbeibah said the “Turkish nation acted in unity and solidarity and protected its elected administrators on the night of the July 15 coup attempt.”
“The fact that the civilians acted in unity and solidarity in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities showed the courage of the Turkish people and their protection of the elected administrators. Upon the call of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish people took to the streets against the putschists, and the administrations elected by the votes of the people were stronger in freedom and development. The Turkish people showed the people of the Arab region that the street is the guarantor of democracy and gave them hope,” he said.
Turkey’s Ambassador to Tripoli Kenan Yılmaz thanked Libya among the countries that took “immediate measures” against the movement of Turkish dissident Fethullah Gülen, which President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan deemed responsible for the failed coup.
High-level Libyan officials including the chair of the High Council of State, Khalid al-Mishri, and Defense Minister Mohammed Haddad were also present at the ceremony.