WordBulletin

World Bulletin / News Desk

The renowned Turkish poet and writer Abdürrahim Karakoç has died at the age of 80.

Karakoç had long been receiving treatment for a lung infection at Ankara’s Gazi University Hospital. He died in the hospital on Thursday afternoon. He will be laid to rest in Ankara after funeral prayers at the Kocatepe Mosque on Friday afternoon.

Sources close to Karakoç’s family said they were planning to hold the funeral prayers at the Hacıbayram Mosque in Ankara, but Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked the family to pick the Kocatepe Mosque for the prayers. Karakoç was best known for his poem “Mihriban.” The prime minister issued a message in memory of Karakoç in which he defined the poet as “one of Turkey’s best pens.” Erdoğan said the poet will always be remembered by Turkey’s future generations.