BAYBURT, Turkey—The mayor of Bayburt, Turkey (historically Baberd), Mete Memis, called the deeds of Turkish soldiers who massacred Armenians a hundred years ago “heroism.”

Memis made a congratulatory statement on the 97th anniversary of Bayburt’s sacking and capture from its historically Armenian residents, who were massacred and exiled as part of the Armenian Genocide, and claimed that 97 years ago, the Turkish soldiers in Bayburt had “written their name in history” for defending the “homeland,” reported Haberler.

The Turkish mayor claimed that in February of 1918, Turkish soldiers had acted heroically and had “liberated” Bayburt from the Armenians.