Türkiye's Erdogan commemorates Srebrenica genocide victims

Erdogan's tribute

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday marked the 31st anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide with a social media post in which he remembered the more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslims killed in the massacre. "On the 31st anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, one of the most brutal genocides in history, I remember with sorrow and mercy all our Bosniak brothers and sisters who were massacred," Erdogan said, noting that the atrocity remains one of history's darkest chapters.

The Turkish leader emphasized that the nation would never forget the victims. "I respectfully honor the cherished memory of our martyrs and pray for patience and strength for their families and loved ones. We will never forget Srebrenica," he stated in his online message.

1995 massacre

The genocide occurred in July 1995 when Bosnian Serb forces under Ratko Mladic captured the UN-protected enclave of Srebrenica. Dutch peacekeepers stationed at the base handed over thousands of Bosniak men and boys to Serb forces, who transported 8,372 victims to execution sites in forests, warehouses and factories before burying them in mass graves across the country in an effort to hide the crimes.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 2007 that the atrocities constituted genocide, based on evidence from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The massacre stands as the only genocide in Europe since the Second World War.

Annual commemorations

Remains recovered from mass graves have been buried annually on July 11 at the Potocari Memorial Cemetery since the war ended. So far, 6,772 victims have been interred at the cemetery, while 250 were laid to rest in local cemeteries at their families' request, with more than 1,000 victims still unaccounted for.

Ten newly identified victims will be buried at Potocari on Saturday as part of this year's commemoration, after their families approved the interment, according to Anadolu Agency. The burial ceremony marks the 31st anniversary of the fall of the enclave.