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Meskhetian Turks, evacuated from Ukraine and brought to Türkiye in 2022 because of the Russia-Ukraine war, are celebrating their move into homes built for them in Bitlis's Ahlat district.
Families previously settled in Ahlat welcomed the new arrivals with Turkish flags as they moved into their new homes.
New housing was constructed in Ahlat for the Meskhetian Turks, who were evacuated from the war zone and brought to Türkiye on the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and had been temporarily housed in Elazig.
The handover of 371 completed homes in the district's Tunus neighborhood to families arriving from Elazig has begun.
Exiled from their homeland 82 years ago and having endured difficult days because of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Meskhetian Turks have been settled into new homes in Ahlat, where they will live in peace after years of hardship.
Fuat Ucar, secretary general of the World Meskhetian Turks Union, told an Anadolu Agency correspondent that 218 families were settled in the first phase of the housing built by the Housing Development Administration of the Republic of Türkiye (TOKI) two years ago and that a total of 1,262 people from 371 families will now be settled in Ahlat in the second phase.
Nergul Alihan (L) said the years of exile had left deep marks on her family, adding that she had missed hearing the call to prayer and that they were being treated with great respect and helped with everything.
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