Erdoğan: CHP leader ran away on coup night

İstanbul, Mar 28 (DHA) – President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of “running away” during Turkey’s failed July 2016 coup attempt, instead of lending him sufficient support.
“There were young people who did not bow to the F-16 [fighter jets]” Erdoğan said at a “youth event” in Istanbul on Monday, referring to people who resisted the coup soldiers on the night of July 15, 2016.
“There were young people who did not bow to tanks. There were young people who did not bow to bullets fired from helicopters. But where were you, Kılıçdaroğlu? You were on the run at Atatürk Airport. We could have met you there but you weren’t around,” he added.
In his first appearance after the start of the bloody uprising on the night of the coup attempt, Erdoğan called on citizens to resist coup plotters in a live video interview with private broadcaster CNNTürk before flying to Istanbul from the Aegean resort town of Marmaris. The hotel where he had been staying was also targeted by junta members.
On arrival in Istanbul, Erdoğan addressed a large crowd at Atatürk International Airport, declaring that the coup attempt was almost foiled.
Kılıçdaoğlu attended a meeting with Erdoğan 10 days after the attempt, which claimed around 250 lives. He was also present at a giant public demonstration against the coup attempt in Istanbul on Aug. 7.