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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes' contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk

At 9.05 am (0605GMT), sirens wailed across Türkiye to mark the exact moment of Atatürk's death at the age of 57.

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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk

Türkiye on Friday commemorated the 85th anniversary of the passing of the country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk

Turkish people nationwide came to a halt for two minutes' contemplation to pay their respects to the deeply revered first president of the republic, which just last month marked its 100th anniversary.

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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk

At 9.05 am (0605GMT), sirens wailed across the country to mark the exact moment of Atatürk's death at the age of 57.

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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk

Around the country, people stopped in the streets or stood silently at their workplaces to remember Atatürk.

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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk

At the Anıtkabir mausoleum overlooking the capital Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was among those to lay a wreath at Atatürk's resting place.

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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk

Also taking part in the annual ceremony at Anıtkabir were main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, members of the presidential Cabinet, heads of top judicial bodies, Turkish Armed Forces commanders, political party representatives, bureaucrats, and other state officials.

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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk
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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk
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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk
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Turkish people come to halt for 2 minutes contemplation to pay their respects to founding father Atatürk