Cyprus reaffirms solidarity with US on 25th anniversary of September 11 attacks

Nicosia, Cyprus. The foreign ministry on Friday reaffirmed Cyprus’ solidarity with the United States on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, describing the events as “heinous”.

It remembered the victims, first responders and those whose lives were changed by the attacks, while pledging to stand with the United States against terrorism.

Ministry statement

“We remember the innocent victims, the heroic first responders, and all those whose lives were forever changed as a result of the terrorist acts,” the ministry said.

“As we honour their memory and bravery, we reaffirm our solidarity with the US and our unwavering determination to stand together against terrorism in all its forms,” it added.

The attacks

Nineteen men hijacked four airliners on the morning of September 11, flying two into the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center and a third into the Pentagon.

The fourth aircraft crashed in a rural Pennsylvania field after passengers revolted on board.

A total of 2,996 people, including 2,977 victims and the 19 hijackers, died directly as a result of the attacks. More than 5,000 people are estimated to have died from related health complications.

US military response

Following the attacks, the United States launched its global war on terror and invaded Iraq and Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden, who was behind the attacks, was killed in a US military raid in Pakistan in 2011.

In Iraq, the United States and its allies toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003 before withdrawing from the country between 2007 and 2011. Large areas of Iraq later came under Islamic State control during the 2010s, though this has diminished in recent years.

In Afghanistan, the United States and its allies overthrew the Taliban and sought to establish a unitary republic. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan collapsed within days of the US withdrawal in 2021, and the Taliban regained control of the entire country.