Erdoğan marks 108th anniversary of Baku’s liberation

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan marked the 108th anniversary of the World War I liberation of the Azerbaijani capital Baku on Sept. 15.

“Congratulations to our friend and brother Azerbaijan on the anniversary of the liberation of its capital Baku from enemy occupation,” Erdoğan said in a social media message on Sept. 15. He also paid tribute to Nuri Killigil, commander of the Caucasus Islamic Army, and his soldiers.

Azerbaijan declared independence on May 28, 1918, and signed an agreement with the Ottoman Empire in Batumi on June 4, seeking military assistance against Armenian and Bolshevik groups.

Formed through the efforts of Nuri Killigil, the brother of Ottoman War Minister Enver Pasha, the Islamic Army of the Caucasus was deployed to Baku and across Azerbaijan.

The army took control of Baku on Sept. 15, 1918, after 30 hours of fighting, suffering more than 1,100 casualties.

Later on Sept. 15, Erdoğan met with Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR) leader Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu at the headquarters of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Ankara.

AKP vice leaders Efkan Ala and Mustafa Elitaş, as well as party spokesperson Ömer Çelik, also attended the closed-door meeting. No details were released about the meeting.

Erdoğan had met the previous day with Great Unity Party (BBP) leader Mustafa Destici, a member of the AKP-led People’s Alliance.

While HÜDA PAR is not formally part of the ruling coalition, it supports the government and won four parliamentary seats on AKP candidate lists in the 2023 elections.