Türkiye’s President Erdogan commemorates Circassian Exile

ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan commemorated the expulsion of Circassians from the Caucasus on the anniversary of the tragedy Wednesday.

"On the anniversary of the unjust, unlawful, and inhumane exile of our Circassian brothers from their homeland in the Caucasus, I pray for God's mercy on those who lost their lives and sincerely share the indescribable pain experienced,” Erdogan said on X.

May 21 marked the 161st anniversary of the Circassian Exile, following the end of the Russo-Circassian War.

The Russian empire forcibly expelled hundreds of thousands of Circassians from the North Caucasus, most of whom were sent to the Ottoman Empire.

The expulsion, carried out under violent and inhumane conditions, resulted in mass deaths and is widely considered one of the largest ethnic cleansings of the 19th century.