Senior Turkish officials on Wednesday marked the 955th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert (Malazgirt), highlighting national unity, Türkiye’s historical legacy and the country’s future goals.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said the victory, which paved the way for Turkish settlement in Anatolia, continues to inspire Türkiye nearly a millennium later.
“With the strength we draw from Manzikert, we are moving toward our 'Century of Türkiye' goals, shoulder to shoulder, for all ages, with the same faith and determination,” Yılmaz noted in a social media post.
Yılmaz commemorated Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan, his army and those who lost their lives in battle, saying the determination that “opened the gates of Anatolia” in 1071 and was later crowned by the conquest of Istanbul continued to sustain the Turkish nation’s unity.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş also stressed unity in a message commemorating the anniversary, saying Alp Arslan’s determination to make Anatolia a homeland laid the foundations for centuries of coexistence and brotherhood.
“We will not allow anyone to disrupt our brotherhood, unity, solidarity and harmony,” Kurtulmuş said.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said Türkiye continued to draw inspiration from the Battle of Manzikert as it pursued its “Century of Türkiye” vision.
“Drawing inspiration from Manzikert and strength from our ancient history and deep-rooted state tradition, we are resolutely advancing toward our Century of Türkiye goal,” Duran stressed.
New Party Chair Özgür Özel separately commemorated both the Battle of Manzikert and the 104th anniversary of the Great Offensive, a decisive campaign during Türkiye’s War of Independence.
Özel paid tribute to Alp Arslan and those who fought at the Battle of Manzikert, while describing the Great Offensive, launched on Aug. 26, 1922, as a declaration that the Turkish nation would never surrender its independence. He also commemorated Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and those who fought in the War of Independence.
Meanwhile, events marking the Manzikert anniversary continued in the eastern province of Muş.
The Gendarmerie Commando Special Public Security Command displayed domestically produced weapons and equipment at the Malazgirt Battlefield National Historical Park.
Visitors were briefed by gendarmerie personnel on the technical features and operational uses of the weapons and equipment on display.
