ISTANBUL
Türkiye on Wednesday remembered Turks who lost their lives during events in 1915.
“We commemorate with mercy those who died in the ‘so-called Armenian Genocide,’ in which defenseless and innocent Turks were brutally murdered,” Turkish National Defense Ministry said on X.
The statement underscored Ankara’s rejection of the label of “genocide” amid debates surrounding the events.
Türkiye’s position on the events of 1915 is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties.
Türkiye objects to the presentation of the incidents as “genocide,” describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.
Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Türkiye and Armenia as well as international experts to tackle the issue.
