Türkiye marks 88th anniversary of Ataturk’s death as President Erdogan pays tribute

Türkiye on Tuesday commemorated the 88th anniversary of the death of its founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, with nationwide tributes and a two-minute silence at the exact time of his passing.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid tribute to Ataturk, who led the Turkish War of Independence and established the Republic of Türkiye, as the country marked the anniversary.

“I remember with mercy Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of our Republic and our first President, on the 88th anniversary of his passing into eternity,” Erdogan said in a message on X.

He also honoured members of the Grand National Assembly who served during the War of Independence, crediting them with helping pave the way for the Republic.

Nation pauses to honour its founder

At 9.05am local time (0605 GMT), the precise moment Ataturk died on November 10, 1938, people across Türkiye observed two minutes of silence as sirens sounded nationwide.

People stopped what they were doing, including those walking along streets and working in offices, to pay their respects to the leader.

Ataturk remains a revered figure in Turkish history for leading the struggle that secured Anatolia as the homeland of the Turkish nation and laying the foundations of the modern Republic.

Türkiye celebrated the 103rd anniversary of the Republic's founding last month.

TRT Afrika / TRT World — TRT Afrika / TRT World

Photo: َAA