Turkey commemorates 95th anniversary of Victory Day

Turkey marked the 95th anniversary of a decisive battle in the War of Independence on Wednesday.

Victory Day, which commemorates the Battle of Dumlupinar in 1922 against the Greek forces, saw Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, senior officials and high-ranking military staff lay a wreath at Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, on a hill overlooking Ankara.

"This historic victory, which is the herald for the success of our War of Independence, is a very important part of the struggle that starts with Malazgirt [Battle]," Erdogan said after writing in the Anıtkabir memorial book.

"We will continue protecting our homeland entrusted us by you [Turkish citizens], our beloved martyrs and veterans at the cost of our lives,” Erdogan said.

Prime Minister Yildirim also released a message to mark Victory Day, reiterating how the Turkish nation’s struggle for independence ended in victory on August 30, 1922.

Yildirim emphasised the strong bond between the nation and the state, saying: “Power groups, trying to weaken the Turkish Republic with coup attempts and terrorism, will never achieve their goals and they will be completely defeated in the face of the nation-state interlocking.”

In a statement, Chief of General Staff, Hulusi Akar said the Victory Day “will continue to be a source of inspiration and pride to the army which evolved out of our beloved [Turkish] people.”

Paying tribute to Ataturk and his fellow soldiers as “the architects of this victory”, Akar highlighted the fight against terrorism.

“The Turkish Armed Forces are determined to fight, with its gendarmerie, police and security guards, successfully against all terror groups," he said.