JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Türkiye’s Victory Day, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.
In separate cables, King Salman and the crown prince wished Erdogan continued good health and happiness, and the government and people of Türkiye steady progress and prosperity.
Türkiye marks Victory Day, or Zafer Bayramı, annually on Aug. 30 to commemorate the decisive defeat of occupying Greek forces at the Battle of Dumlupınar in 1922.
The battle was the culmination of the Great Offensive, or Büyük Taarruz, during the Turkish War of Independence. The campaign was launched under the command of Mustafa Kemal Pasha, later known as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I and the subsequent occupation and partitioning of its territories.
The Turkish victory at Dumlupınar triggered a rapid advance across western Anatolia, culminating in the liberation of Izmir days later and effectively ending the Greco-Turkish War.
The military success also strengthened Ankara’s position in negotiations with the Allied powers, leading to the Armistice of Mudanya in 1922 and ultimately the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. The treaty established the internationally recognized borders of modern Türkiye and paved the way for the proclamation of the republic on Oct. 29, 1923.
Victory Day was first observed locally in 1923 and was officially designated a national holiday in 1926. It also serves as an official celebration day for the Turkish Armed Forces.
The occasion is marked across Türkiye and at Turkish diplomatic missions abroad, with events including military academy graduations, promotions in the armed forces and state wreath-laying ceremonies at Anıtkabir, Atatürk’s mausoleum in Ankara.
