Türkiye's Presidency's Center for Combating Disinformation on Monday rejected social media claims alleging that Türkiye is an "occupying power" in Cyprus and that its military presence on the island is illegitimate, describing the assertions as "entirely unfounded."

The Center said in a statement on Monday that Türkiye's Cyprus Peace Operation, launched on July 20, 1974, was conducted on a legitimate legal basis under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee and was aimed at protecting the Turkish Cypriot community and restoring peace on the island.

According to the statement, the operation was launched to halt attempts to eliminate the Turkish presence in Cyprus and to stop what it described as systematic massacres targeting Turkish Cypriots.

"The intervention was carried out on a legitimate legal basis within the framework of the international rights and obligations arising from the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee," the Center said.

The statement added that the operation resulted in the establishment of peace across the island and also contributed to political developments in Greece by paving the way for the collapse of the military junta, whose objective of Enosis—the union of Cyprus with Greece—had failed, ultimately facilitating the restoration of democracy in the country.

The Center emphasized that the continued presence of Turkish troops in northern Cyprus should not be characterized as an occupation.

"The presence of Turkish troops on the Island is not an 'occupation'; it is the sole guarantee of the safety, sovereignty, and the peaceful environment that has prevailed on the Island since 1974 for the Turkish Cypriots," the statement said.

The Presidency's Center for Combating Disinformation further accused those promoting such allegations of engaging in disinformation campaigns intended to distort Türkiye's position on Cyprus.

It argued that narratives portraying Türkiye's presence on the island as unlawful amount to "perception management operations" carried out by actors that, according to the statement, disregard international law, human rights, and internationally recognized borders while pursuing policies of occupation and annexation elsewhere.

The Center urged the public not to rely on or share what it described as misleading content circulating on social media regarding Türkiye's role in Cyprus.

The statement was issued as Türkiye marked the anniversary of the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, an event that remains a defining milestone in the history of the island and continues to shape Ankara's longstanding policy on the Cyprus issue. The Turkish government has consistently maintained that its military presence in northern Cyprus is based on the rights granted under the Treaty of Guarantee and is essential to ensuring the security of the Turkish Cypriot community. (ILKHA)