Turkey’s president said Sunday that the country’s ongoing state of emergency will not be lifted until Turkey achieves peace and welfare.

At a congress of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party set to return him to the party helm, Recep Tayyip Erdogan cited the casualties from last July's coup attempt by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

"In my country, they tried to overthrow the state, and we gave 249 martyrs, and had 2,193 injured," said Erdogan. "How dare you ask us to lift the state of emergency?"

He stressed: "It will not be lifted. Until when? Until the situation [in Turkey] reaches welfare and peace."

On April 18, parliament extended Turkey's ongoing state of emergency for another three months.

After the deadly coup attempt last July 15, Turkey declared a state of emergency on July 20.

Under the Constitution, a state of emergency can be declared for a maximum six-month period, but can also be extended.

To enact the state of emergency, the government must see serious indications of widespread violence that could interfere with Turkey's democratic environment or its citizens' basic rights and freedoms as established by the Constitution.