UPDATE - Türkiye marks 28th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide

UPDATES WITH COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR'S SREBRENICA MESSAGE; REVISES DECK

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye on Tuesday marked the 28th anniversary of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide in which over 8,000 Bosniak civilians were brutally killed by Bosnian Serb forces.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter: "On the 28th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, which has gone down in history as a dark stain on humanity, I extend my deepest condolences to the grieving families of our martyrs and all Bosniak brothers and sisters."

"We will never forget Srebrenica, and we will never let it be forgotten, to prevent similar atrocities from happening again," he added.

Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz on Twitter quoted a statement by the late Alija Izetbegovic, the founding president of independent Bosnia and Herzegovina: "Whatever you do, don't forget the genocide. Because a genocide forgotten is one repeated."

"We still deeply feel the pain of what happened 28 years ago in Srebrenica as if it were the first day," Yilmaz added. “On the 28th anniversary of the genocide, I remember our Bosnian brothers and sisters who lost their lives.”

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also tweeted an image that said: "We commemorate our Bosniak brothers who were martyred 28 years ago during the Srebrenica Genocide, one of the darkest episodes of history. We will never forget! "

Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said on Twitter: "I condemn the shameful genocide that took place in front of the eyes of the whole world, resulting in the killing of 8,372 innocent people."

He added that Turkey will continue to stand with the Bosniak people and take every necessary step to ensure the peace and security of the Balkans.

"May the souls of our Srebrenica martyrs rest in peace," he added.

- Srebrenica genocide

More than 8,000 Bosniak Muslims were killed when Bosnian Serb forces attacked Srebrenica in July 1995, despite the presence of Dutch peacekeeping troops.

Serb forces were trying to wrest territory from Bosnian Muslims and Croats to form a state.

The UN Security Council declared Srebrenica a "safe area" in the spring of 1993. But troops led by Gen. Ratko Mladic overran the UN zone. He was later found guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Dutch troops failed to act as Serb forces occupied the area, killing 2,000 men and boys on July 11, 1995 alone.

About 15,000 residents of Srebrenica fled to the surrounding mountains, but Serb troops hunted them down and killed 6,000 more people.

Bodies of victims have been found in 570 different areas across the country.

In 2007, the International Court of Justice at The Hague ruled that genocide had been committed in Srebrenica.