Ahead of the 152nd anniversary of its expulsion and ethnic cleansing by the Russian Empire in the 19th century, Turkey's Circassian community is demanding international recognition for what they term genocide at the hands of the now-defunct empire.Turkey has a sizable community of Circassians, a Caucasian ethnic group many of whom left their homeland due to Russian policies to drive out minorities. Every year, they mark the anniversary of their expulsion, which landed many Circassians in Turkey and other countries in the region, by staging events across the country and rallies outside Russian diplomatic missions. This year, demonstrations are scheduled for May 21, or Circassian Genocide and Exile Day as the community calls it.Nusret Baş, head of the Federation of Circassian Associations, a prominent nonprofit representing the community, told the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) that they seek recognition of the genocide around the world, especially in Turkey, and urge Parliament to launch an inquiry into the genocide and recognize it.Baş said 1864 was a year when their community was "destroyed, oppressed, driven out of their homes and their rights were trampled on" and was "a year of heartbreak and unforgettable suffering."The expulsion of Circassians, who call themselves Adyghe, happened toward the end of the decline of the Ottoman Empire, whose clout spread to the Caucasus, and at a time of an ambitious campaign by the Russian Empire to extend its borders despite tough resistance locals in the region -- Circassians, Abkhazians, Chechens and others. The resistance, which gained prominence through the leadership of Sheikh Shamil, was brutally quashed with massacres of local populations and subsequent exile. Most Circassians were herded onto ships to be transferred from the northeastern shores of the Black Sea to Anatolia. Thousands perished due to hunger and thirst, and many others died when their ships sank. Estimates range from 300,000 to 4 million deaths as a result."Caucasia was a place where Circassians lived freely for centuries, but they were an obstacle for Russia's plans to expand to the south. Circassians defended their lands for more than a century, but they were a meager force compared to the vast army of Russia. In the end, the community was destroyed, forced to surrender as a result of disproportionate Russian attacks that included killing innocent civilians. This was genocide in the true meaning of the word and fits the genocide description of the United Nations," Baş said. He said Circassians who still live in the Caucasus are still deemed a threat by present-day Russia and are under constant surveillance by Moscow. "[Russian President Vladimir] Putin pursues the same policy on Circassians as the policies he executed in Crimea, Ukraine and Syria," he said.The Circassian genocide is currently only recognized by Georgia, a foe of the Kremlin since the collapse of Soviet Union. "But Turkey has the largest Circassian population, and this is why we want Turkey to recognize it, too," Baş said.A Cabinet minister attended last year's commemoration ceremony of the Circassian exile.Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgiç said on Friday in a statement in response to a question that the Circassian exile was "a great disaster etched into the memory of Caucasian people expelled from their homeland."Baş said their demand is not "revenge" but rather to "reveal a historical truth." "We are not aiming to raise a political matter, and we are not enemies of the Russian people. Russia has a responsibility to recognize the genocide," he said. Baş said their calls have not drawn attention from the international community, as it involves Russia, a global superpower. "Other than that our cause is not championed because Circassians are Muslims," he claimed.Turkey has a well-integrated Circassian community of about 1.5 million to 3 million people, mainly concentrated in the northern provinces of Samsun, Amasya, Tokat and the northwestern provinces of Sakarya, Kocaeli, Balıkesir and Kütahya. There are currently about 750,000 in Caucasian republics currently located in the Russian Federation. High estimates of Circassian communities in Jordan and Syria are about 180,000 and 120,000, respectively, although the latter has suffered from civil war in the last five years.