UDPATE - Türkiye marks centenary of Victory Day

UDPATES WITH NATO STATEMENT

By Mehmet Tosun and Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish president and senior officials visited Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Republic of Türkiye, marking the 100th anniversary of the country’s Victory Day.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, senior government and high-ranking military officials, and opposition leaders laid a wreath at Anitkabir. A minute of silence was followed by the Turkish National Anthem.

“Dear Ataturk, on the 100th anniversary of the Great Victory, which is one of the most important turning points in our glorious history, we commemorate with mercy your comrades-in-arms, distinguished members of the Grand National Assembly, and our saintly martyrs,” Erdogan wrote on the memorial book at Anitkabir.

Erdogan vowed to continue to advance the Republic of Türkiye in line with the set goals and to strengthen it in every field, especially in economy, defense and diplomacy.

Türkiye, which has overcome the global pandemic with great enthusiasm, also successfully manages the conflicts in its region, and carries out diplomatic moves that are appreciated by the whole world for the restoration of peace and stability, he added.

Neither the plots of the "oppressors" nor the attacks of "bloody terrorist organizations" will be able to prevent the construction of a growing, stronger Türkiye, which is also the hope of the oppressed, he stressed.

Later, Erdogan visited the Turkish State Cemetery in the capital Ankara. “None of the internal and external evils will be able to prevent Türkiye from rising, strengthening and taking the place it deserves in the global system," he said.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu marked Victory Day. “The fire of freedom that burned 100 years ago will never go out. The Republic of Türkiye will stand firm forever!” Cavusoglu said on Twitter.

NATO also marked Türkiye’s Victory Day with a brief statement on Twitter.

“Today is the 100th Anniversary of Turkish Independence. We join our Turkish allies across NATO& beyond in celebration of their Victory and Turkish Armed Forces Day,” NATO Allied Land Command said.

Türkiye was occupied by allied forces after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War (1914-1918).

The foreign occupation prompted Türkiye’s War of Independence in 1919, in which Turkish forces – led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – eventually drove the invaders from Anatolia.

From Aug. 26 to Aug. 30 of 1922, Turkish forces fought the Battle of Dumlupinar (considered part of the Greco-Turkish War) in Türkiye’s western Kutahya province, where Greek forces were decisively defeated.

By the end of 1922, all foreign forces had left the territories which would collectively become the new Republic of Türkiye one year later.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar