Turkey congratulates Azerbaijan over Shusha's liberation

Turkish officials on Sunday welcomed Azerbaijan's liberation of the city of Shusha from Armenia's occupation.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated Azerbaijan on the liberation of the strategically important city of Shusha.

"Liberation of Shusha city also implies that liberation of remaining occupied territories is in sight," Erdoğan said at the 7th regular provincial congress of ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in the northwestern Kocaeli province.

He also said Turkey shares the happiness of Azerbaijani people, who have been liberating their occupied cities and Karabakh step-by-step.

Also welcoming the news, Vice President Fuat Oktay said that the establishment of sovereignty is an important development and good news for Azerbaijan.

"Shusha is liberated from the Armenian occupation. Congratulations on your victory, my dear brother [country]," Oktay said on Twitter.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu joined them in welcoming the liberation of Shusha, which he called the capital of culture.

"On the National Flag Day, the glorious Azerbaijani flag will fly over Shusha forever. Live in happiness with your tricolor flag, Azerbaijan," he said.

Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalın also shared his congratulations on the liberation of the strategically important city of Azerbaijan via Twitter.

Also, Omer Celik, the spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, expressed happiness over the Shusha victory.

Earlier, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that the army liberated Shusha from the occupation of Armenian forces.

Shusha has critical importance in liberating the occupied Upper Karabakh region.

About 20% of Azerbaijan's territory – including Upper Karabakh or Nagorno Karabakh and seven adjacent regions – has been under Armenian occupation for nearly three decades.

While world powers have called for a sustainable cease-fire, Turkey has supported Baku's right to self-defense and demanded the withdrawal of Armenia's occupying forces.

Multiple UN resolutions also call for unconditional withdrawal of the invading forces.