15.07.2026 10:40
The family of Special Operations Police Officer Mehmet Karacatilki, who was martyred in the July 15 coup attempt by FETÖ, still feels the pain of losing their son as if it were yesterday, even after 10 years in Osmaniye. Mother Nuriye Karacatilki never lets go of her son's photo. Her words, "My lamb went away and left a thousand siblings for me," deeply moved hearts.
The parents of Special Operations Police Officer Mehmet Karacatilki, who was martyred in the bomb attack on the Special Operations Department in Ankara Gölbaşı during the treacherous coup attempt of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) on July 15, are still living the pain of losing their child as if it were yesterday, even after 10 years, in Osmaniye.
MARTYRED IN A TREACHEROUS ATTACK On the night of July 15, 2016, 32-year-old Special Operations Police Officer Mehmet Karacatilki, father of two, fell as a martyr along with 37 of his comrades in the bomb attack carried out by members of the armed terrorist organization FETÖ on the Special Operations Department in Ankara Gölbaşı.
It was learned that Mehmet Karacatilki, who was serving in Isparta, had gone to the Ankara Gölbaşı Special Operations Department to provide training, and on the day he was supposed to leave his post after completing the training, he drank the sherbet of martyrdom in the treacherous attack.
NEVER LETS GO OF HER SON'S PHOTOGRAPH Mother Nuriye (65) and father Hamza (66) Karacatilki, living in Osmaniye, continue their lives with the memories of their son. Nuriye Karacatilki, who never lets go of her son's photograph, could not hold back her tears, saying, "My lamb left once, leaving me a thousand siblings."
"MOM, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME..." Mother Nuriye Karacatilki recounted how her son, while giving her a photograph taken during his special operations training, said, "Mom, if something happens to me, you can look at this." She added, "He said, 'Mom, I will transfer to special operations.' I asked why, my lamb. He said, 'Those in special operations are loyal to each other, they are good. They are people who perform ablution and pray.' When he said that, I agreed. He transferred, took a three-month course in Ankara. He had a photo taken there and said, 'Mom, take good care of this.' He said, 'If something happens to me, you can look at this.' Then he said, 'Come on, mom, let's go sightseeing.' We went to Düziçi, where his uncles are. There, he said, 'Mom, if something happens to me, they will take good care of you and give you money.' I said, 'No, my lamb, let them neither give nor take care, and may nothing happen to you.' There were 40 days between that conversation and his martyrdom. He also told his father, 'An event will happen, there will be no east or west anymore.' On the evening of the coup, my lamb called me, 'Mom, it's your holiday today, go home,' I said, 'No, mom, I will come to your place,' he said. 'But when the door opens, the children immediately come calling for daddy, go there,' I said. 'No, mom, I will come to your place,' he said. He insisted on visiting us so much that I now wish I had never loved you so that this wouldn't have happened to me. He went to Ankara on Monday. On the fifth day, he was martyred there. The period between coming from Cizre and having that conversation and the day he was martyred lasted 40 days."
"MY LAMB LEFT, LEFT A THOUSAND SIBLINGS" Mother Karacatilki said, "He said, 'If something happens to me, mom, they will take good care of you.' Still, I say, may Allah be a thousand times pleased with our state and our nation. They supported us, they take care of us. I don't know, my one lamb left but left me a thousand siblings. But may Allah curse this FETÖ. May He not let those inside out, may they rot there. They are eating the state's bread; may the bread they eat in prisons be poison for them."