Former President who changed the course of the coup attempt recalls the night of July 15th

Former Mayor Mahmut Öztürk, who prevented 550 commandos from boarding military planes landing at Denizli Çardak Airport during the July 15 coup attempt, said, ‘When I blocked the military convoy with my wife and driver in the vehicle, 4 barrels were pointed at us, and even in that situation, we managed to direct the operation process without moving from the road.’ Eight years have passed since the coup attempt by the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) on July 15, 2016, but the events of that night are still fresh in memory. On the night of July 15, former Brigadier General Kamil Özhan Özbakır, who was the commander of the 11th Commando Brigade and whose name was mentioned as the ‘Denizli martial law commander’ in the coup plotters’ so-called appointment list, wanted to transfer 550 commandos in Denizli to Ankara. It was planned for two cargo planes, one C-130 and one C-160, coming from Kayseri Erkilet Military Airport to land at Çardak Air Base Command or Çardak Airport for the 550 commandos to go to Ankara. Upon learning that 550 coup soldiers would arrive at Çardak and leave the city by planes, the people of Çardak, Bozkurt, and Honaz went to the Air Base Command and did not allow the soldiers to pass. At that moment, former Çardak Mayor Mahmut Öztürk, upon instructing the machines belonging to his municipality and the Metropolitan Municipality to be pulled onto the runway, prevented the landing of the military cargo planes from Kayseri. Former Mayor Mahmut Öztürk of Çardak, who made the move that would change the course of the coup, recounted the events of that day to Ihlas News Agency (IHA) reporters. Stating that they saw a military vehicle convoy on the road when they arrived in the district after the metropolitan municipality meeting held in the city center on the evening of July 15, former Çardak Mayor Öztürk said they realized there was a coup attempt. Öztürk, who said he informed his party members to inform the public, stated, ‘As soon as we arrived in Çardak, we all went to the airport intersection together to check the situation. The convoy was divided, one part was directed towards the military airport you see behind us, and the other part was directed towards the civilian airport.’