Political Divide Deepens in Turkey

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Saturday marks the first anniversary of Turkey's failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but with a post-coup crackdown firmly in place, there are concerns about a deepening political divide as the government marks the turmoil.

Turkish media broadcasts of the tumultuous events of July 15, 2016 include file coverage of soldiers opening fire on unarmed people on Istanbul’s Bosphorus Bridge and jets bombing parliament. More than 240 people were killed and nearly 3,000 others were injured when a faction of the military attempted to seize power.

“The soldiers took out their rifles and started shooting. At that moment, I totally lost it. I was so furious because I wasn't expecting anything like this from them,” recalls 50-year-old Mehmet Akyol, sitting with his wife and children. “I went down to the street. I was just about to lift my arm and shout at them. And then I saw blood running down my wrist. And I noticed that my wrist was shattered.

“I would have been devastated if I hadn't gone out into the street. My children would have questioned why I hadn't tried to take a stand during this terrible situation,” added Akyol.