Sirens in Cyprus mark 50 years since Turkish invasion

Sirens pierced the pre-dawn quiet in Cyprus on Saturday to mark 50 years since Turkish troops landed on the Mediterranean island in an invasion that has left it divided to this day.

In the government-controlled south of the island, the sirens blared at 5:30 am (02:30 GMT), the start time of 1974's Operation Atilla which would go on to conquer a third of Cyprus and displace around 40 percent of the population.

A UN-patrolled buffer zone now cuts across the island from northwest to southeast, with checkpoints and border controls separating the Greek Cypriot community in the south from the Turkish Cypriot community in the north.

Before the anniversary, Greek Cypriot veterans of the fight against the invasion told AFP that they were pessimistic about the prospects for peace. Demetris Toumazis, who was taken to Turkey as a prisoner of war in 1974, said, "It's 50 years now and there's still no solution, and there's no hope".

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was set to visit Cyprus on Saturday evening to attend the commemorations alongside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

Christodoulides was scheduled to attend a memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers in the morning, followed by a Greek Orthodox service in the village of Kokkinotrimithia, west of the divided capital Nicosia.

Mitsotakis was due to join him for an art project collecting memories of the invasion at the presidential palace, after which both leaders were set to deliver speeches.

In the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognised only by Ankara, the mood will be one of celebration, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expected to visit amid tight security to take part in anniversary events including a military parade.

The TRNC's lack of international recognition since it was declared by Turkish Cypriot leaders in 1983 means it is heavily dependent on Turkey.

AFP