Nicosia, Cyprus. Rocks were thrown across the buffer zone at Turkish Cypriots in Nicosia on Wednesday, an incident Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman highlighted as occurring on the anniversary of the creation of Eoka. He said no one was harmed.
Footage shows projectiles thrown near Roccas bastion
Video footage showed a man dressed in black on Markos Drakos street, below the city walls’ Roccas bastion, throwing projectiles at people standing in the park atop the bastion, which is under Turkish Cypriot control. A second video showed a larger group of men dressed in black on Paphos street inside the walls near the Roccas bastion, though it did not show anyone throwing projectiles.
Erhurman contacts Greek Cypriot side and Unficyp
In a social media post, Erhurman said “rocks and explosives” had been thrown at people in the park and that he had contacted both the Greek Cypriot side and the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp) about the incident.
Calls for precautions and judicial investigation
Erhurman said it was unacceptable that no precautions were taken in the area on April 1, which he said was a day when such incidents could have been anticipated. He condemned those responsible and said he expected Unficyp and the Greek Cypriot side to take necessary steps quickly and share information with Turkish Cypriot authorities.
He said authorities would follow up to ensure the Greek Cypriot authorities initiate a judicial investigation and that those responsible are subject to legal proceedings.
What steps will you look for from Unficyp and the Greek Cypriot authorities following this incident?