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July 15 veteran Abdurrahman Kafkas carries 20 shrapnel pieces 10 years on
Abdurrahman Kafkas, wounded by helicopter fire in front of the Presidential Complex during FETÖ's coup attempt, sees the 20 shrapnel pieces remaining in his body as a 'medal of honor.' He wants young people to draw lessons from his experience.
Abdurrahman Kafkas, wounded by helicopter fire in front of the Presidential Complex during the July 15, 2016 coup attempt by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), has been living with 20 shrapnel pieces in his body for 10 years.
Kafkas, 33, who lives in the Orhaneli district of Bursa, was in Ankara visiting his older brother on the night of the coup attempt. After learning about the events from television news, he went to the Beştepe area to try to stop the advancing tanks and was seriously wounded there.
"I thought I was dying, I thought it was all over"
Kafkas recounted that he was in Yozgat on the morning of July 15 and came to his brother's place in Ankara after finishing his work. He said that after watching news of the coup attempt on television, they set out toward the AK Party headquarters, where a large crowd had gathered.
Kafkas said that someone running from the direction of the Presidential Complex shouted, "For God's sake, hurry! The tanks are about to enter the Complex!" and then he continued:
When we heard that, we ran there. It was a very strange feeling, an unfamiliar atmosphere. As if by prior agreement, about 30-40 people, young and old, men and women, some in slippers, some in shorts, started running toward the Presidential Complex. It was about two kilometers away.
Kafkas said that at the intersection in front of the Complex, police stopped the crowd and warned them they were entering a dangerous area, but no one heeded the warning. When they turned the corner, they saw armored vehicles.
When they noticed us, they immediately fired into the air to try to stop us from approaching. But we got even closer. It was around 00:45. We were chanting takbir and waving Turkish flags.
Helicopter opened fire while he was recording with his mobile phone
Kafkas said that while he was recording the events with his mobile phone, the helicopter opened fire on them:
They fired armor-piercing bullets from the helicopter at a very long distance. At first, I didn't understand what was happening. The explosion was so violent that I felt like the shock wave had pressed down all my internal organs. It was an incredible explosion. That was the moment I was wounded.
Kafkas said he realized he was wounded only after a while, and continued:
I kept walking, but my legs felt as if they were no longer mine. I had lost all sensation. I sat down on the curb, and as I tried to take my phone out of my pocket, I saw blood flowing on the ground. That's when I realized I was wounded. My legs were very swollen, I was losing a lot of blood. The phone screen was covered in blood, I couldn't press the keys. Then my vision started to go dark. I thought, 'I guess I'm dying, everything will end here.' I could barely see anything.
Kafkas recounted that a citizen rushed to help him. The man, whom he called 'Harun ağabey,' first took off his T-shirt and applied a tourniquet to the large wound on the back of his left leg, then carried him on his back about 100 meters to a safe point. He was then put into a car stopped across the road with the help of three other people and taken to the hospital.
"It was good that the people stood by their state and president"
Kafkas said that 22 shrapnel pieces hit his body, two of which were surgically removed because they prevented him from walking, and he continues to live with the remaining 20 pieces.
We have no right to complain about our fate. There were brothers who were martyred that night, veterans who lost arms and legs. Compared to them, we have nothing to complain about. I still have 20 shrapnel pieces in my body. Of course, they cause some difficulties, but we are grateful for our situation.
Referring to the 10 years since the coup attempt, Kafkas stressed that for those who lived through that night, the pain is still as fresh as yesterday. "When I see the games played against our country, the dirty plans, I still say today: I'm glad I went out that night, I'm glad I had such a brother. We could have stayed home and drunk our tea. But he showed such determination that I was also blessed to become a veteran," Kafkas said, adding that July 15 was not just a coup attempt but an attempt to occupy the country.
God forbid, if that coup had succeeded, Turkey would definitely not be in this position today. There are conflicts and wars around us, but our country has not been harmed by them. That's why I'm glad we went out, I'm glad the people stood by their state and president. Today I say with peace of mind: I'm glad that back then there were true sons of the homeland, I'm glad they supported each other.
Kafkas, who carries out awareness-raising activities for young people, said their aim is to move forward by learning from the past. Reminding that July 15 should not be seen merely as an event for documentaries and that its witnesses are still alive, Kafkas said he tries to explain to young people the seriousness of what happened, the plans made against the country, and those behind the coup attempt. He also called on young people to be vigilant, to appreciate the value of educational opportunities, and to learn from the past so that similar events never happen again.
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