Türkiye commemorated Thursday the 1995 Srebrenica genocide with heartfelt messages from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Foreign Ministry.
"We will never forget the Srebrenica genocide," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said, adding that: "We commemorate with respect and mercy our Bosniak brothers and sisters who were martyred in the Srebrenica genocide 29 years ago."
In a video message sent to the commemoration ceremony in Bosnia-Herzegovina, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan drew a parallel between Srebrenica and Israel's ongoing genocidal war in Gaza.
Those responsible for the current "barbarism in Gaza" will sooner or later be held accountable before international law, just like with the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, he said.
"Türkiye will continue to do our best to ensure that justice is served and the perpetrators of the massacre are held accountable," he added.
Today, Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories are being subjected to atrocities similar to those committed 29 years ago in Srebrenica, said Erdoğan.
He stressed that international organizations are just watching the murder of over 40,000 innocent people take place, including 16,000 children, just like they did 29 years ago in Srebrenica.
The whole world is "facing a test of humanity and sincerity," he added.
On the U.N. General Assembly's decision this May to designate July 11 Srebrenica Genocide Remembrance Day, Erdoğan said: "I would like to thank everyone who contributed to all stages of this decision, from its preparation to its adoption. We believe that this decision should serve as an example to prevent a darkness similar to the Srebrenica genocide from being repeated anywhere in the world."
Decrying those who still deny the genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina and glorify war criminals despite international court rulings, he said Türkiye is following the attacks and harassment of people who returned to their homes after the war.
It is a "sincere wish" for an internal consensus covering all sectors to prevail in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he said, adding that everyone should keep in mind that no one gains from conflict and tension.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, stressing that the genocide remains a black stain of human history, said on X: "We will commemorate July 11th every year in our country as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide."
"I commemorate our martyred brothers and sisters with mercy and wish their families condolences and patience," he added.
In July 1995, more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslims were killed when Bosnian Serb forces attacked the eastern city of Srebrenica, despite the presence of Dutch peacekeeping troops there.
Serb forces were trying to wrest territory from Bosnian Muslims and Croats to form a state.
In 2007, the International Court of Justice at The Hague ruled that a genocide had been committed in Srebrenica.
