Türkiye marks Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day

ISTANBUL

Türkiye marked Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day on Wednesday -- the 3rd anniversary of the Patriotic War.

"On the Remembrance Day that marks the beginning of the epic struggle for the liberation of Karabakh and the occupied Azerbaijani territories, I remember all our martyrs with mercy and respectfully commemorate our veterans," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote on X to commemorate the Patriotic War in the Karabakh region.

Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan, he said.

Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said: "On the anniversary of the struggle that began on Sept. 27, 2020, lasting 44 days to liberate the territories under Armenia's occupation in Azerbaijan, we remember all our martyrs with mercy."

Chief adviser to Erdogan, Akif Cagatay Kilic, also said Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan.

"On the anniversary of Azerbaijan's struggle to liberate Karabakh from Armenia's occupation, I remember all our martyrs with mercy. I respectfully commemorate our heroic veterans," he said.

Large-scale clashes erupted Sept. 27, 2020, in the Karabakh region when the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces, violating several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions -- Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Qubadli and Zangilan.

Azerbaijan then launched a counter-offensive operation, later dubbed “Iron Fist,” which led to the 44-day conflict ending with the liberation of Azerbaijani lands from the occupation of the Armenian forces. The fighting ended with a deal brokered by Russia.