July 15 Coup Attempt Ayşe Aykaç

Ayşe Aykaç

When remembering the heroic stories of women who went out to repel the coup attempt by FETÖ members on July 15th, we remember the life of Ayşe Aykaç, one of those fearless women. Ayşe was 44 years old and from Kastamonu. She was martyred on the Bosphorus Bridge, beside her husband, standing out against the coup attempt.

Crying whenever she saw martyr families and saying to her husband, “I wish that God will destine us with martyrdom, I’m not worried about the martyrs, only their families,” Ayşe was martyred while resisting putschists on the Bosphorus Bridge.

Shot by a tank artillery in her chest

Immediately preparing to go out with her husband, after finding out about the coup attempt, Ayşe performed a prayer. She rushed outside upon President Erdoğan’s call. The couple went out to the Bosporus Bridge together. They were towards the front of the violence and were raked by traitors on tanks. Mustafa was not injured from the gunshots, yet, Ayşe was initially shot by a bullet in her arm and then another to her chest. She started reciting shahada after she was shot and was taken to the hospital with the help from the people around her. Yet, despite medical attention, she passed away.

“She passed away in my arms”

Ayşe and Mustafa had four children together. Mustafa expressed that the family felt sorrow for being left alone but not for her becoming a martyr and said, “My children are supporting me instead of me supporting them. She passed away in my arms on the bridge after she was shot. God gave her such a beautiful martyrdom, her confession of faith in her last breath was more intense than most imams’.” Mustafa stated that his wife wouldn’t usually go out for riots and resistance movements; however, she could not remain unresponsive to the President’s call.

The name Martyr Ayşe Aykaç was given to an Anatolian imam hatip high school in Üsküdar, İstanbul.

The Bosporus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges on the night of July 15
13 PHOTOGRAPH
Civilians stopped a bus full of soldiers right before entering the bridge.

Civilians stopped a bus full of soldiers right before entering the bridge.

A group of soldiers blocking passage to the European side since the early hours of the evening opened fire on unarmed citizens who were marching to the bridges to resist to the coup attempt.

A group of soldiers blocking passage to the European side since the early hours of the evening opened fire on unarmed citizens who were marching to the bridges to resist to the coup attempt.

People flocked to the bridges being occupied by soldiers on President Erdoğan’s call.

People flocked to the bridges being occupied by soldiers on President Erdoğan’s call.

13	Both bridges were opened to traffic after police removed the tanks on the Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Bosporus Bridges.

13 Both bridges were opened to traffic after police removed the tanks on the Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Bosporus Bridges.

While FETÖ’s coup soldiers continued firing at the crowd, a tank and armored vehicles came on the bridge from the Beylerbeyi entrance on the wrong side of traffic.

While FETÖ’s coup soldiers continued firing at the crowd, a tank and armored vehicles came on the bridge from the Beylerbeyi entrance on the wrong side of traffic.

Units that hit the road on the instructions of the coup generals were carrying ammunition, including 10 tank shells, 2,000 MG3 bullet series, three boxes of ammunition for ZMAs and 5,000 bullets for armored personnel carriers.

Units that hit the road on the instructions of the coup generals were carrying ammunition, including 10 tank shells, 2,000 MG3 bullet series, three boxes of ammunition for ZMAs and 5,000 bullets for armored personnel carriers.

Soldiers controlling Bosporus Bridge during the coup attempt shot shells toward civilians and police.

Soldiers controlling Bosporus Bridge during the coup attempt shot shells toward civilians and police.

12	All soldiers who occupied the Bosporus Bridge during the July 15 coup attempt surrendered. The bridge was renamed the July 15 Martyrs Bridge with a Cabinet decree on July 25.

12 All soldiers who occupied the Bosporus Bridge during the July 15 coup attempt surrendered. The bridge was renamed the July 15 Martyrs Bridge with a Cabinet decree on July 25.

Six civilians, Erol Olçak and his 16-year-old son Abdullah Tayyip Olçok, were martyred in the first round of gunfire.

Six civilians, Erol Olçak and his 16-year-old son Abdullah Tayyip Olçok, were martyred in the first round of gunfire.

11	An anti-riot water cannon vehicle was shot and burst into flames.

11 An anti-riot water cannon vehicle was shot and burst into flames.

3	Two tanks and armored personnel carriers proceeded to seize the bridges. Four tanks, two armored personnel carriers and two armored combat vehicles were directed to Sabiha Gökçen Airport; four armored personnel carriers to the 1st Army Commandership; four armored personnel carriers to Acıbadem Telekom; and eight tanks, two armored personnel carriers and two armored combat vehicles to the Üsküdar riot police base.

3 Two tanks and armored personnel carriers proceeded to seize the bridges. Four tanks, two armored personnel carriers and two armored combat vehicles were directed to Sabiha Gökçen Airport; four armored personnel carriers to the 1st Army Commandership; four armored personnel carriers to Acıbadem Telekom; and eight tanks, two armored personnel carriers and two armored combat vehicles to the Üsküdar riot police base.

FETÖ coup soldiers closed traffic from the Anatolian to European Side of Istanbul on the Bosporus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges.

FETÖ coup soldiers closed traffic from the Anatolian to European Side of Istanbul on the Bosporus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges.

Civilians who were shot and injured were taken to hospitals in taxis, ambulances and sometimes motorcycles.

Civilians who were shot and injured were taken to hospitals in taxis, ambulances and sometimes motorcycles.

The Bosporus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges on the night of July 15
News of one of the bloodiest nights in Turkey, the July 15 coup attempt, first spread with the disturbance on the Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Bosporus Bridges. Citizens realizing that both bridges were occupied by traitor FETÖ soldiers resisted, saying: “We won’t surrender this land to you”, on the call of President Erdoğan to the public to claim the streets.


Putschists raked the people with gunfire on The Bosporus Bridge
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Putschists raked the people with gunfire on The Bosporus Bridge
Yeni Şafak
Putschists first closed the Bosporus and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges. The events escalated by the time civilians flocked to the bridges. The putchists raked the people with gunfire on the bridge and they ran over vehicles with tanks. Erol Olçok and his son Abdullah Tayyip Olçok were shot first in the gunfire from the traitors. Many citizens were martyred, as the putschists opened fire randomly on the crowd.