Turkey marked the ninth anniversary of the failed 15 July 2016 coup attempt with a ceremony at the grave of Ömer Halisdemir, the Special Forces sergeant whose action is credited with altering the course of the night. Niğde Governor Cahit Çelik, lawmakers and senior security officials gathered in the Bor district’s Çukurkuyu village for Quran recitations and prayers before laying carnations on the tomb. The event drew a steady stream of visitors from across the country as part of Democracy and National Unity Day commemorations. Retired Lt. Gen. Zekai Aksakallı, who commanded Special Forces during the coup attempt, paid his respects at the grave and told reporters that killing Brig. Gen. Semih Terzi had prevented the putschists from taking control of critical operations. “If Terzi had lived, the night could have taken a disastrous turn,” he said, recalling that Halisdemir accepted the mission knowing it would likely cost his life. Separately, the Defence Ministry said the exact spot inside Ankara’s Special Forces Headquarters where Halisdemir was shot 17 times has been sealed under a special glass-stone covering to preserve the blood stains as a permanent memorial. The measure, along with the annual ceremonies, underscores Halisdemir’s symbolic role in Turkey’s resistance to the coup and the government’s effort to enshrine his legacy.