Iraqi city celebrates Ottoman victory over the British

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The southern Iraqi city of al-Kut on Sunday hosted a ceremony with Turkish officials to mark the anniversary of the First Battle of Kut, where Ottoman forces defeated British troops in World War I.

According to Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency, the 102nd anniversary of the battle was commemorated at the Ottoman Turkish Martyrs cemetery in Kut, southeast of Iraq’s capital of Baghdad.

The ceremony was attended by the Turkish ambassador to Iraq, Fatih Yildiz, and the governor of Wasit, Mahmoud Abd al-Rida Mulla Talal. The Turkish ambassador laid a wreath on the tomb of the fallen Ottoman fighters some 160 km south of Baghdad.

Both officials toured local markets and underlined the important historical ties between Turkey and Iraq.

“Being here is important to refresh our 450-year-long relations. Our solidarity should continue in order to build our common future,” Talal said. He also called on Turkish businessmen to invest in the city of Kut, promising to facilitate the visa process for Iraqi merchants as well.

On April 29, Turkey commemorates the Battle of Kut, which took place during World War I between the Ottoman army and British forces and is considered one of the most “humiliating defeats” of the British Empire.

It was the second largest victory for the Ottoman Empire in the first World war after the Battle of Gallipoli, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign, which resulted in one of the most devastating defeats for the Allies.