President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Saturday to participate in events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation, also known as Peace and Freedom Day.

Erdogan was greeted by Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar at Ercan Airport in the capital, Nicosia. Following a welcoming ceremony, Erdogan laid a wreath at the Ataturk Monument and signed the monument’s special book.

"We are experiencing the rightful pride of reaching the 50th anniversary of the July 20 Peace Operation, which our heroic Armed Forces carried out shoulder to shoulder with the Turkish Cypriot people," Erdogan wrote. He emphasized the unwavering commitment of the Turkish nation to its independence and future, and praised the Turkish Cypriot people's continued struggle for independence, supported by Türkiye, as they look to the future with hope and confidence.

Erdogan also paid tribute to the Turkish soldiers who sacrificed their lives, and expressed his gratitude to the veterans of the operation.

The island of Cyprus has been embroiled in a longstanding dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Ethnic tensions in the early 1960s led Turkish Cypriots to retreat into enclaves for safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at annexing the island to Greece prompted Türkiye’s military intervention to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. This intervention led to the establishment of the TRNC in 1983.

Despite numerous diplomatic efforts, a comprehensive settlement has remained elusive. In 2004, the Greek Cypriot administration joined the EU, the same year Greek Cypriots rejected a UN plan to resolve the dispute. (ILKHA)