Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops occupied the northern third of the island in response to a coup supported by the then military junta of Athens, which aimed to unify the island with Greece. Currently, a Turkish military contingent of around 35,000 men remains in Northern Cyprus, and the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic, recognized only by Ankara, is virtually entirely dependent on Turkish economic support.
The so-called Republic of Northern Cyprus is separated from the Greek-administered part of the island, which is a member of the European Union (EU), by a UN-controlled buffer zone.
The incident took place in the UN-controlled buffer zone near Larnaca, after the UN mission warned Northern Cyprus authorities on Thursday against unauthorized construction in the UN buffer zone. UN peacekeepers tried to block road construction today and were attacked, the UN mission said.
“The United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus condemns the attacks on UN peacekeepers and the damage to UN vehicles,” the UN mission said in a statement.
“Threats to the safety of UN peacekeepers and damage to UN property are unacceptable and constitute a serious crime under international law that will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” the UN mission said.
An official said plainclothes Northern Cyprus police and military personnel punched one peacekeeper and assaulted a dozen others. They also used a tractor to pull a UN vehicle off the road and caused extensive damage to three vehicles.
The UN mission called on the Turkish Cypriot side to “respect the mission’s mandate in the UN buffer zone, refrain from any actions that could further escalate tensions, and immediately withdraw all personnel and equipment from the UN buffer zone.”
The UN mission said it was determined to block any construction in the buffer zone and would remain in the area. “The mission is closely monitoring the situation and remains committed to ensuring that peace and stability are maintained in the region,” the mission said in a statement.
2023-08-18 11:06:30
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