QA-25, 18 May 2017, Statement of the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hüseyin Müftüoğlu, in response to a question regarding the Anniversary of the Crimean Tatar and Circassian Exiles

Republic Of Türkiye Ministry Of Foreign Affairs 18.05.2017
On the night of 17-18 May 1944, 250.000 Crimean Tatar Turks were deported from their motherland and exiled to thousands of kilometers away from their homes. Tens of thousands of Crimean Tatar Turks perished under the inhumane circumstances of the journey and life in exile. More than 100.000 Crimean Tatar Turks are still living far from their homeland. We respectfully commemorate those who lost their lives as a result of the 18 May Crimean Tatar exile.

Meanwhile, 21 May is commemorated as the anniversary of the “Circassian Exile”. During the invasion of the Caucasus by the Tsarist Russia throughout the 19th century, hundreds of thousands of Caucasian peoples lost their lives and many survivors sought shelter in Anatolia. Today, we still feel the pain of the “Circassian Exile” tragedy.

On this occasion, we once again underline that just like in the past we continue to stand by our kinsmen Crimean Tatar Turks and our friends and relatives Caucasian peoples, and bow respectfully before the memory of losses from these tragedies.



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