Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday commemorated the victims of the 1999 Marmara earthquake on its 26th anniversary.

In a post on social media, Erdogan said: “Even today, we still feel in our hearts the pain of our citizens who lost their lives in the Aug. 17, 1999 Marmara earthquake. On the anniversary of this great tragedy, I pray for God’s mercy upon those who lost their lives and once again extend my condolences to their families and relatives.”