TRNC President Ersin Tatar published a message on the anniversary of the 48th anniversary of the second phase of the Cyprus Peace Operation.

In his message, President Ersin Tatar stated that the second phase of the Cyprus Peace Operation, which was started on the morning of 20 July 1974 by Türkiye, using its right of guarantor stemming from international agreements, was carried out on 14 August, and stated that the years of captivity of the Turkish Cypriots ended.

Noting that the Cyprus Peace Operation brought peace and tranquility not only to the Turkish Cypriots but also to the Greek Cypriots on the island, Tatar said, “While I commemorate all the martyrs with mercy, I express my sincere gratitude to our veterans.”

In his message, President Tatar also referred to the 48th anniversary of the Muratağa-Atlılar-Sandallar and Taşkent massacres, noting that while the Cyprus Peace Operation was continuing, there was a great brutality and massacres against the Turkish Cypriot people in the areas where the Turkish soldiers could not reach.

Tatar emphasized that the genocide and massacres against the Turkish Cypriot people is the clearest indication of why Türkiye’s guarantee and Turkish troop cannot be given up and said “If Turkey did not realize the Cyprus Peace Operation on the 20 July 1974 there wouldn’t be any Turkish Cypriot people left in Cyprus and Cyprus would have become a Hellenic island”.