Ankara: A survivor of Trkiye's defeated 2016 coup attempt has lived for the past decade with 20 shrapnel fragments lodged in his body after being wounded by helicopter fire outside the Presidential Complex in Ankara. Abdurrahman Kafkas, 33, was visiting his brother in the Turkish capital when news of the coup attempt emerged. The brothers first went to the headquarters of the ruling AK Party before joining a crowd moving toward the Presidential Complex to confront tanks.
According to Anadolu Agency, Kafkas described a surreal atmosphere that night. "There was a strange feeling, a different atmosphere," he recounted. "As though we had all agreed beforehand, young and old, women and men, everyone began running together toward the complex." Despite police warnings about the danger, the crowd pressed on.
After reaching armored vehicles around 12.45 am local time (2145GMT), the group waved Turkish flags and chanted as troops fired into the air to deter them. While filming the scene, Kafkas experienced a helicopter opening fire on the crowd. "The noise and pressure were so intense that I felt as though the organs in my body were being pushed downward," he said. Initially unaware of his injuries, he soon lost sensation in his legs and noticed blood as he tried to use his phone.
A fellow civilian used Kafkas' shirt to apply pressure to a large wound on his left leg before carrying him to safety. Passing motorists transported him to a hospital, where doctors found 22 shrapnel fragments in his body. Two fragments were removed from his foot to enable walking, while 20 remain. Kafkas, residing in the northwestern province of Bursa, considers these fragments as "medals of honor" and remains uncomplaining, mindful of those who suffered more severe injuries or were killed.
"The pain of that night remains fresh for those who experienced it, as if it happened yesterday," he reflected. "Even today, I can say I am glad I went out." A faction of the Turkish military linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) attempted to seize power on July 15, 2016, deploying tanks, fighter jets, and helicopters against civilians and state institutions. The attempt resulted in 253 deaths and thousands of injuries.
Kafkas now shares his experiences with younger generations, emphasizing that the events were not merely scenes from documentaries and that survivors are still alive to recount what occurred. "Our aim is to move forward by learning from the past," he stated.