President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday commemorated the 31st anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, honoring the thousands of Bosniak victims killed during the 1995 massacre and reiterating Türkiye's commitment to preserving their memory.
In a message shared on social media, Erdoğan described Srebrenica as "one of the most brutal genocides in history" and paid tribute to those who lost their lives in what remains Europe's worst mass atrocity since World War II.
"On the 31st anniversary of Srebrenica, one of the most brutal genocides in history, I commemorate with mercy and sorrow all of our Bosniak brothers who were massacred," Erdoğan wrote.
"I respectfully honor the cherished memory of our martyrs and extend my patience and condolences to their families and loved ones. We will never forget Srebrenica."
The annual commemoration falls on July 11, the day Bosnian Serb forces captured the U.N.-designated safe area of Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia in 1995, setting in motion the systematic killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys over the following days.
The massacre occurred during the Bosnian War, which lasted from 1992 to 1995 after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Srebrenica had been declared a protected U.N. enclave in 1993 and was guarded by Dutch peacekeepers. However, Bosnian Serb forces commanded by Gen. Ratko Mladić overran the town, separating men and boys from women, children and elderly civilians before carrying out mass executions.
An estimated 25,000 to 30,000 women, children and elderly residents were forcibly expelled from the enclave, while thousands of victims were buried in mass graves that were later disturbed in an attempt to conceal evidence of the killings.
The massacre has been legally recognized as genocide by both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice, which ruled in 2007 that the killings constituted genocide.
More than three decades later, forensic experts continue identifying victims through DNA analysis. Nearly 7,000 victims have been identified and buried at the Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial and Cemetery, while hundreds of people remain missing.
This year's anniversary included the burial of 10 newly identified victims, ranging in age from 20 to 56, at the memorial cemetery in Potočari. Memorial ceremonies across Bosnia and Herzegovina honored those killed, while survivors, relatives and international delegations gathered to remember the victims and call for continued efforts to combat genocide denial and preserve historical truth.
The 2026 commemorations were held under the theme "We Are Here," highlighting the resilience of survivors and the enduring legacy of Bosniak communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the diaspora.
Türkiye has consistently supported international recognition of the Srebrenica genocide and has long maintained close ties with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Erdoğan has repeatedly used the anniversary to stress the importance of justice, remembrance and preventing similar atrocities from occurring again.
The Srebrenica genocide remains a defining symbol of the international community's failure to protect civilians despite the presence of a U.N. safe zone.
Successive U.N. reports have acknowledged serious shortcomings in the global response, making the massacre a lasting reminder of the consequences of inaction.
