Erdogan Hails Late Bosnian President as Muslims' Protector

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid tribute on Wednesday night to Bosnia's wartime president, Alija Izetbegovic, on the 13th anniversary of his death.

"Alija, as leader in the fight for Bosnian Muslims, enabled the survival of Europe's most important Islamic community," Erdogan tweeted. 

Aliya'nın Bosnalı Müslümanların mücadelesine yaptığı liderlik, Avrupa'nın en önemli İslam toplumunun varlığını sürdürmesini sağlamıştır.

— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RT_Erdogan) October 19, 2016

The tweet attracted more than 13,000 likes. 

Another tweet said: "God have mercy on the soul of Alija Izetbegovic."

Erdogan was not alone in his tribute to Izetbegovic, who became chairman of the presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1990 and remained in post throughout the war of 1992 to 1995.

He was later the Bosniak [Muslim] member of the presidency for Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Footballer Arda Turan, captain of Turkey's national team and midfielder for Spanish club Barcelona FC, also paid tribute to the late president.

He wrote on Instagram next to a picture of Izetbegovic and a corresponding hashtag: "We will not be vindictive, but we will never forget what was done." 

Turan added: "We are dying, but they do not win."

 

'Biz kin gütmeyeceğiz ama asla yapılanları unutmayacağız ' ' Ve herşey bittiğinde hatırlatacağımız şey düşmalarımızın sözleri değil dostlarımızın sessizliği olacaktır ' 'Biz ölüyoruz ama onlarda kazanmıyorlar ...' Allah rahmet eylesin... saygıyla... #aliyaizzetbegoviç #19ekim2003

A photo posted by Arda Turan (@ardaturan) onOct 19, 2016 at 2:54am PDT

Bosnians gathered at Kovaci cemetery to pay tribute in Sarajevo on Wednesday to...