HÜDA PAR Chairman Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu attended official ceremonies in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Monday to mark the 52nd anniversary of the 20 July 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation and Peace and Freedom Day.

Yapıcıoğlu traveled to Lefkoşa to participate in the commemorative events held in honor of the operation, which is regarded in the TRNC as a defining moment in securing the safety, freedom, and future of the Turkish Cypriot people.

The official parade ceremony was attended by senior TRNC and Turkish officials, including TRNC President Tufan Erhürman and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.

Following the ceremony, Yapıcıoğlu visited TRNC Republic Assembly Speaker Ziya Öztürkler, where the two discussed the significance of the Cyprus Peace Operation and the importance of preserving its legacy.

During the visit, Yapıcıoğlu paid tribute to those who lost their lives during the operation.

"May God have mercy on all our martyrs and veterans—especially our Cyprus Peace Operation martyrs who made every kind of effort and sacrifice to reach these days—and on those who have passed on to the afterlife after completing their worldly lives. I wish health and well-being to those still among us. May God make our brotherhood everlasting," he said.

In a post shared on social media, the HÜDA PAR chairman said he was honored to be in the TRNC on the anniversary of the operation and thanked Assembly Speaker Öztürkler for his hospitality.

"We are in Cyprus on the 52nd anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation. We visited the Republic Assembly Speaker, Honorable Dr. Ziya Öztürkler. I thank the Honorable Speaker for his kind reception and warm welcome," Yapıcıoğlu wrote.

For his part, Assembly Speaker Ziya Öztürkler thanked Yapıcıoğlu for his visit and emphasized the historical importance of 20 July for the Turkish Cypriot people.

Öztürkler said the Cyprus Peace Operation enabled Turkish Cypriots to safeguard their freedom, sovereignty, and independence.

"20 July is one of the most important dates when the Turkish Cypriot people held tightly to freedom, sovereignty, and independence. This became possible through the Motherland Türkiye's Happy Peace Operation on 20 July 1974," he said.

He also praised the role of Turkish soldiers and Turkish Cypriot fighters during the operation.

"Thanks to the epic struggle of the Mehmetçik and the mujahideen, and the Peace Operation, we are now able to look to the future with confidence in peace, security, and happiness," Öztürkler said.

The TRNC Assembly Speaker further welcomed the continued interest shown by political parties and leaders in Türkiye regarding the Cyprus issue.

"We are extremely pleased with the interest and attention shown by political parties and their leaders in Türkiye toward the Cyprus cause. We must not forget the past. We must preserve and honor the struggle given in the past. Thank you very much for being here," he added.

The annual 20 July Peace and Freedom Day commemorations mark the anniversary of the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, launched by Türkiye following a Greek-backed coup on the island. The operation is viewed by the Turkish Cypriot side as a turning point that ensured the security and political future of the Turkish Cypriot community. (ILKHA)