Ahıska Turk families begin moving into new homes in Ahlat

The resettlement process for Ahıska Turk families evacuated from war zones has reached a new milestone in the Ahlat district of Bitlis, Turkey. Following instructions from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 371 families are moving into newly completed permanent housing in the Tunus neighborhood.

The evacuation of Ahıska Turks began in February 2022 following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. To date, approximately 3,500 Ahıska Turks have been brought to Turkey. Under a presidential decree from June 2022, 1,000 families were approved for permanent resettlement.

Initially, families were housed in temporary shelters in Elazığ. The permanent housing project, coordinated by the Presidency of Migration Management, was implemented in stages. The first phase saw the delivery of 218 homes in early 2024. The current second phase involves the delivery of these 371 new homes, which will accommodate 1,262 individuals, providing long-term stability for a community that has faced displacement for 82 years.