The Turkish Foreign Ministry has issued a statement commemorating the 81st anniversary of the mass deportation of Ahıska Turks from their ancestral lands in the Ahıska region of Georgia.

In the statement, the ministry recalled that on 14 November 1944, nearly 100,000 Ahıska Turks were forcibly removed from their centuries-old homeland and transported to remote regions of the Soviet Union under harsh conditions.

According to the ministry, thousands perished during the deportation, while survivors endured years of exile. Despite these hardships, Ahıska Turks “managed to preserve their identity, language, religion, and traditions, and to pass them on to the next generations,” the statement noted.

“As we mark the 81st anniversary of this tragic event, we solemnly remember our brothers and sisters who lost their lives in exile with respect and mercy,” the ministry said.

Türkiye also reiterated its “sincere hope” that the ongoing process enabling the return of Ahıska Turks to their historic homeland will be successfully completed. (ILKHA)