Turkish president marks anniversary of Ataturk's demise

ANKARA

Turkey’s president said on Thursday that after protecting the country during Turkey’s War of Independence, the Turkish nation remains determined to repel all attacks on it.

In a message commemorating the 79th anniversary of the passing of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed Ataturk as a great hero and esteemed statesman who is renowned worldwide for leading Turkey’s War of Independence and founding the Turkish Republic in 1923.

According to the president’s office, Erdogan said in his message:

"Our beloved nation, which heroically defended its country and flag in our struggle for independence and protected its will and future despite difficult circumstances, has the determination to repel all attacks on our country."

“Our great struggle which started in 1919 and ended in 1923 under the leadership of our beloved nation and esteemed veteran Mustafa Kemal stopped, through self-sacrifice, those who wanted to leave us without a homeland,” Erdogan added.

Ceremonies Friday marking Nov. 10, the day of Ataturk’s passing, will take place across the country, but the center of attraction will be his grand mausoleum complex in Ankara, Anitkabir, which also houses a museum.

Ataturk was born in 1881 in Thessaloniki, in what was then the Ottoman Empire. He made his mark in the military in 1915 when he led forces to repel the allied invasion in Canakkale, also known as Gallipoli.

Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, Ataturk led the Turkish War of Independence, which defeated European powers.

When he became president, Ataturk transformed the former empire into a modern, secular country.

Ataturk passed away on Nov, 10, 1938, at the age of 57.

Reporting by Ilkay Guder; Writing by Sibel Ugurlu