TİKA Takes Action for Burned Historical Kayseri Bazaar in Kirkuk

Debris removal and cleaning works have started in the historical Kayseri Bazaar, which became unusable due to fire in Kirkuk city of Iraq on November 26 and will be restored by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) upon the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

TİKA Baghdad Program Coordinator Cüneyt Esmer said in a statement, “We started debris removal in the bazaar on December 7 within the framework of the restoration of historic Kayseri Bazaar in accordance with the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to TİKA.” Esmer said restoration process will start after the debris removal.

The spokesman for the Iraqi Turkmen Front Ali Mehdi said, “Debris removal started in Kayseri Bazaar.” Pointing out the importance of the fact that the restoration of historical Ottoman bazaar is carried out by TİKA, Mahdi said, “The bazaar will be repaired with the support of TİKA. This is very important to us because the historic fabric will be protected.”

One of the shopkeepers in Kayseri Bazaar, İzettin Kemal said, “We are grateful that Turkey gives us a hand in these difficult times and reconstructs this historic bazaar.”

Stating that the bazaar has been their bread and butter for decades, shopkeeper Ömer Hasan said, “We want to express our gratitude to the Republic of Turkey and all its institutions. Without Turkey, there would be nobody to reconstruct this place.”

A fire broke out in the historical Kayseri Bazaar, located in the city center of Kirkuk and was built during the Ottoman period, on November 26 for an unknown reason. Due to the fire, many workplaces in the bazaar became unusable.