Erdogan extends wishes to Turkish Cypriots on Turkey’s Victory Day

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan extended his wishes to the Turkish Cypriot people as Turkey celebrates Victory Day, the 104th anniversary of the victory of Mustafa Kemal’s forces over Greece at the Battle of Dumlupinar in 1922. “Today, we proudly commemorate the 104th anniversary of the great victory, which went down in history as the ‘commander-in-chief’s battle’ and constituted the most important phase of the national struggle,” he began. He added that he extends his wishes “to our esteemed nation, to the Turkish Cypriot people, and to our citizens living in different countries and around the world”. “With the August 30 victory, it was once again certified that the lands on which we have lived freely for a thousand years are our eternal homeland. The great victory, which paved the way for the establishment of our republic, proclaimed to the entire world that our nation will never accept subjugation,” he said. He then added that the victory at the Battle of Dumlupinar also “served as eh means to break the imperialist siege targeting our lands”. “A hundred and four years ago, the determination, courage, and resolve we demonstrated as a nation despite all sorts of obstacles remain today our strongest source of motivation,” he said. As such, he said, “drawing inspiration and self-confidence from its glorious history, Turkey is advancing towards its goals with confident steps in every field, from energy to its defence industry, from science and technology to foreign policy, with the success stories it has written”. “In a period when wars, conflicts, crises, and political uncertainties are on the rise in the world, particularly in our region, Turkey stands out with its principled, resolute, and humanitarian-centred entrepreneurial policies,” he said. In line with this, he said that he wished to “express with satisfaction that today, there exists a Turkey which strives to prevent oppression, no matter who it comes from, stands by the oppressed no matter who they are, and does not hesitate to pay the price when necessary for this cause”. “Despite all the provocations from those who feed on instability, we, as a state and as a nation, will continue to stand by justice, law, equity, peace, and stability. Just as 104 years ago, today, I thank all our citizens who shoulder the construction of the Turkish century,” he said. He added that “on this meaningful day, I embrace with affection all our friends and brothers in the different corners of our spiritual and cultural lands whose hearts beat with our nation, who rejoice with us and grieve with us”. The Battle of Dumlupinar was one of the decisive battles in the Turkish war of independence, and acted as a springboard for Kemal’s forces’ westward “Great Offensive”, which saw Turkish troops advance 300 kilometres in the space of ten days as the Greek troops retreated. Nikolaos Trikoupis, the commander-in-chief of the Greek forces in Asia minor, had surrendered a day prior to Kemal’s forces’ victory at Dumlupinar, while the rapid westward offensive saw them take Izmir by September 9, and the last Greek troops left Asia minor on September 18.