Children stand in silence at 09:05 a.m., the death time of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Republic of Turkiye, on the 86th anniversary of his demise in Mersin, Turkiye on November 10, 2024. (Photo by Serkan Avci/Anadolu via Getty Images)





People place red carnations to pay tribute to Turkey's founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk during the 86th anniversary of his death at Dolmabahce palace in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, November 10, 2024. (Photo by Emrah Gurel/AP Photo)





Members of Ankara Women's Orchestra, playing different instruments, are seen in Ankara, Turkiye on November 13, 2024.The orchestra, founded by 19 women of different ages and professions, gives concerts to female audiences with their wide repertoire in different languages and styles. (Photo by Esra Hacioglu Karakaya/Anadolu via Getty Images)





Women chant slogans during a rally marking the upcoming International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in Istanbul,Turkey, Sunday, November 24, 2024. (Photo by Emrah Gurel/AP Photo)





The Rifle Demonstration Squad of the Presidential Guard Regiment take part in the rehearsals for the official welcoming ceremonies of heads of state and government with the principle of “no errors” in Ankara, Turkiye on November 29, 2024. The Presidential Guard Regiment, directly affiliated to the Chief of the Turkish General Staff and taking part in state ceremonies held at the Presidential Complex, the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye, the Ministry of National Defense and the General Staff, is the only military unit in the Turkish Armed Forces to wear turquoise uniforms. (Photo by Ismail Kaplan/Anadolu via Getty Images)





Miners have breakfast at mine site, one of Turkiye's major hard coal production centers, during World Miners' Day in Zonguldak, Turkiye on December 04, 2024. Mine workers, who work meters underground to unearth hard coal, called the “black diamond”, do one of the most difficult jobs in the world, earning a living and contributing to the national economy. (Photo by Osmancan Gurdogan/Anadolu via Getty Images)





Youngsters enjoy the snow with the sleds that they made with their own means at Guneyyamac neighborhood of Ozbeyli hamlet, in Bahcesaray district of Van, Turkiye on December 5, 2024. The snow thickness reached 60 centimeters in Ozbeyli hamlet of Guneyyamac Neighborhood, 130 kilometers away from the district. Taking advantage of the snowfall, young people and children living in the hamlet come to the plateau road, which is 2 kilometers away, every day, carrying wooden sleds that they made with their own means on their backs. The young people who slide downhill with their sleds on the bumpy road covered with snow, which is not used in winter, have fun and enjoy the winter. (Photo by Ozkan Bilgin/Anadolu via Getty Images)





An aerial view of the area after the Black Sea Coastal Road has been closed to two-way traffic due to a landslide in Arhavi, Artvin, Turkiye on December 08, 2024. (Photo by Tamer Arslan/Anadolu via Getty Images)





Syrians wait to cross into Syria from Turkey at the Oncupinar border gate, near the town of Kilis, southern Turkey, Monday, December 9, 2024. (Photo by Khalil Hamra/AP Photo)





Syrian migrants wait at the Cilvegozu border gate to cross into Syria, after Syrian rebels announced that they have ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Turkish town of Reyhanli in Hatay province, Turkey, on December 10, 2024. (Photo by Dilara Senkaya/Reuters)





A Turkish gendarme helps a young girl with belongings as Syrian families wait to cross into Syria from Turkey at the Cilvegozu border gate near the town of Antakya, southern Turkey, Tuesday, December 10, 2024. (Photo by Metin Yoksu/AP Photo)





54-year-old Vildan Ozdemir, who left the banking profession she worked for 14 years and worked as an international truck driver transporting to European countries, is seen with her dog she named “Rocky” in Istanbul, Turkiye on December 17, 2024. Vildan Ozdemir is accompanied by her husband on this journey. (Photo by Agit Erdi Ulukaya /Anadolu via Getty Images)





An aerial view of dry cargo ship lying on its side during loading at Ambarli Port, on December 23, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkiye. 15 personnel were evacuated from the ship. (Photo by Hakan Akgun/Anadolu via Getty Images)





Turkish soldiers stationed at the Gulluk Border Post in Baskale district, located at an altitude of 2,800 meters near the Iranian border and 83 kilometers from the city center, patrol as continue their fight against terrorism, illegal migration, and smuggling despite harsh winter conditions in Van, Turkiye on December 28, 2024. Enduring challenging terrain and severe weather, the troops remain steadfast in their mission to protect the nation. (Photo by Ozkan Bilgin/Anadolu via Getty Images)





An aerial view of the agricultural workers washing and packaging geographically registered radishes in Savrun Stream in Kadirli District of Osmaniye, where most of Turkiye's radish production takes place during the harvesting process in Osmaniye, Turkiye on December 28, 2024. (Photo by Ahmet Aslan/Anadolu via Getty Images)





Passengers wearing festive hats sit inside a subway as they prepare to celebrate New Year's Eve in Ankara, Turkiye on December 31, 2024. (Photo by Akin Celiktas/Anadolu via Getty Images)





Greek Orthodox faithful hold up a wooden crucifix after being retrieved in the Golden Horn during the Epiphany ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, January 6, 2025. (Photo by Khalil Hamra/AP Photo)





A Greek Orthodox worshipper lights candles as people arrive for an Epiphany Service at the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Istanbul, Turkey, on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Umit Bektas/Reuters)





A half moon sets behind the Galata Tower in Istanbul, Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (Photo by Emrah Gürel/AP Photo)





A view of the Turkish Armed Forces' amphibious combat soldiers nicknamed “crocodile”, which can operate both on land and in water as they continue their training in Foca district of Izmir, Turkiye on December 13, 2024. Soldiers of 1st Amphibious Marine Brigade underwent comprehensive and challenging trainings for the implementation of force protection measures, search, fight against maritime banditry, force protection in narrow and shallow water passages, and evacuation of non-combatants. (Photo by Berkan Cetin/Anadolu via Getty Images)