Turkey condoles with Tunisia over president's death

By Dilara Hamit

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey extended its deepest condolences on Thursday over the death of Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.

"We wish Allah’s mercy upon him and extend our condolences to the friendly and brotherly people of Tunisia," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Essebsi was a political figure playing a role in Tunisia's path to democracy after the 2011 Jasmine Revolution, a 28-day civil resistance campaign.

"Essebsi, who was conferred with the state order by [Turkey's] President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan in 2017, has greatly contributed to the strengthening of cooperation and friendship between Turkey and Tunisia in every field," the statement said.

"As an esteemed friend of Turkey, Essebsi will be dearly remembered with respect," it added.

Essebsi, Tunisia's first democratically elected president, took office in December 2014 after having served in a variety of key positions in the North African country for several decades, most notably as director of national security, interior minister, defense minister, and foreign minister.

Born in 1926, Essebsi took power in a changed political landscape after Tunisia witnessed a popular revolution known to have sparked the beginning of the Arab Spring uprisings.