Erdogan honors Azerbaijani martyrs on Remembrance Day

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday paid tribute to Azerbaijani soldiers who lost their lives in the campaign to retake Karabakh, joining Azerbaijan in observing its Remembrance Day.

Erdogan pays tribute to martyrs

"On the occasion of the Remembrance Day of our friend and sibling Azerbaijan, I commemorate with mercy our heroic martyrs who fought to liberate Karabakh from occupation and restore its freedom, and our veterans with respect," Erdogan said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal. His message underscored Ankara's continued solidarity with Baku on the anniversary.

Karabakh 'Azerbaijani territory forever'

Erdogan restated his long-held position on the disputed region's status. "Karabakh is Azerbaijani territory and will remain so forever," he said, reaffirming Türkiye's backing for Azerbaijan's territorial claim over the area.

A decades-long dispute

Internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, Karabakh sat at the heart of a protracted conflict between the two South Caucasus nations that emerged after the Soviet Union's collapse. Azerbaijan regained full control of the region in 2023 following a military operation, a development that reshaped the balance of power in the South Caucasus and cemented Ankara's alignment with Baku.