Low-key celebrations mark Turkey’s 100th anniversary as secular republic

Turkey is marking the 100th anniversary of the creation of the modern, secular Turkish Republic (Emrah Gurel/AP)

Turkey is marking the 100th anniversary of the creation of the modern, secular republic from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire – but without any grand pageantry or gala reception.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has opted for a low-key celebration as it comes just months after a devastating earthquake killed 50,000 people, and coincides with the Israeli-Hamas war that has roiled the Middle East.