Cyprus marks 52nd anniversary of Turkish ceasefire violation in 1974 invasion

Cyprus commemorated the 52nd anniversary of the second phase of the Turkish invasion on Friday, marking the day Turkish forces violated a ceasefire in 1974 to seize additional territory, including Famagusta, Morphou, and Karpass. The Presidency of the Republic stated in a post on X that "52 years is a long time but not long enough to break our resolve" .
The second phase of the invasion, which began on Aug. 14, 1974, followed the initial Turkish landing on July 20 of that year. According to historical accounts, Turkish troops exploited the ceasefire to expand their control, occupying further areas despite agreements reached during the Geneva talks .
The anniversary comes amid ongoing regional tensions, including heightened settler violence in the West Bank and diplomatic efforts to address the Gaza conflict. On Friday, the UN rights office and the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned a days-long siege by Israeli settlers in the West Bank village of Qusra, calling it "criminal and inhumane" .
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, during a visit to Egypt, warned that mediators may take radical steps if Israel fails to commit to the Gaza peace process. Fidan noted that Ankara and Cairo see eye to eye on Libya’s unity and sovereignty, with trade ties aiming for $15 billion .
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