Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has extended his congratulations to Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, following his re-election for a fifth consecutive term in office. Erdogan expressed his hopes for Aliyev's continued presidency to bring prosperity to the Azerbaijani people.

Aliyev secured a landslide victory in the presidential election, capturing 92 percent of the votes according to official tallies. The Central Election Commission confirmed his win, with a turnout of 67.7 percent across the country.

In celebration of Aliyev's triumph, thousands of supporters gathered in central Baku, chanting patriotic songs and waving signs praising him as the liberator of Karabakh.

Aliyev and his wife, Mehriban Aliyeva, cast their votes in the city of Khankendi in Karabakh, where 26 polling stations opened for the first time in the region's history. Aliyev has hailed the victory in Karabakh as a significant milestone, marking a new era for the country.

Throughout his presidency, Aliyev has been credited with transforming Azerbaijan from a Soviet-era backwater into a vital energy supplier for Europe. His leadership has seen him re-elected multiple times since 2003, following in the footsteps of his father, Heydar Aliyev.

Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitored the election, which saw approximately six million registered voters participating in the democratic process.

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also offered his congratulations to Aliyev, emphasizing the strong bond between their nations and their shared vision for the future. Yilmaz expressed his well wishes for Aliyev's re-election and hoped that it would bring positive outcomes for both Azerbaijan and the broader region.

"Congratulations to Mr. Ilham Aliyev on his re-election as president, supported by the people of Azerbaijan in today's presidential election. I hope these elections will bring prosperity to the Azerbaijani people and our region," Yilmaz stated.

Aliyev secured his re-election with a significant majority, receiving 92.1% of the votes in the early presidential election held on Wednesday. Independent candidate Zahid Oruj trailed with 2.2% of the votes.

Christians in Turkey Face Mounting Challenges Following IS Attack