Türkiye's Erdogan commemorates victims of 2023 earthquakes

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday commemorated those who lost their lives in the Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes in southern Türkiye, marking the third anniversary of the disaster and stating that the government had fulfilled its pledge to rebuild the devastated cities within a short period.

Erdogan paid tribute to the victims of the twin earthquakes that struck 11 provinces three years ago, emphasizing the state’s ongoing commitment to honoring their memory and restoring the affected regions, News.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

“We will not forget our brothers and sisters who met the mercy of the Most Merciful due to the two major earthquakes we experienced three years ago today,” Erdogan said in a message shared on Türkiye’s social media platform NSosyal.

He recalled the government’s promise to the nation, saying it had vowed to keep the victims’ memories alive, safeguard what was entrusted to the state, and rebuild cities destroyed by the disaster. “Today, with Allah’s permission, we have overcome this challenge and rebuilt and revived our cities in as short a time as three years. We kept our word,” he said.

Erdogan’s post was accompanied by a video highlighting the scale of destruction caused by the earthquakes, as well as the reconstruction efforts carried out across the region.

The Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes, centered in the southern province of Kahramanmaras, caused widespread devastation across southern Türkiye, killing tens of thousands of people and inflicting severe damage on infrastructure and housing.

The president is also expected to attend memorial services for the earthquake victims later on Friday.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev