Memorial ceremony planned for Turkish soldier killed near Acheritou in 1996

Acheritou, Cyprus. A memorial ceremony will be held on Tuesday to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Turkish soldier Allahverdi Kilic, who was shot dead near the Famagusta district village of Acheritou on September 8, 1996.

Kilic was shot while on guard duty, while another soldier stationed at the same post, Burhan Cihangir, was injured.

Incident and competing accounts

Kilic, who was born in Turkey and moved to Cyprus as an infant in 1976, was shot four times near Acheritou. Cihangir was also shot but survived.

The Turkish Cypriot side maintains that Greek Cypriot soldiers fired the shots. The Turkish Cypriot Pergamos municipality on Monday described Kilic as a “martyr”.

It said that Kilic’s memory and his family’s pain had not subsided over the years, adding that his name in Acheritou remains the legacy of a soldier killed in the line of duty. The municipality said it had not forgotten him and would not do so.

Republic of Cyprus response

A September 1996 news review by the Macedonian Press Agency said Republic of Cyprus authorities denied that Greek Cypriots had fired the shots which killed Kilic.

The review said the authorities did not rule out a false flag operation, noting that Turkish outposts in the area were located about 700 metres from National Guard outposts.

Greek Cypriot political leaders at the time called for calm. Then-Disy leader Nicos Anastasiades said initial indications supported information that false flag actions by the Turkish side were expected under the guise of Greek Cypriot revenge.

He said those seeking tension between the two communities did not want a peaceful solution and reunification based on United Nations resolutions.

Then-Akel leader Andreas Christou said information available to police appeared to confirm that the action had taken place exclusively inside the north. Then-Diko leader Spyros Kyprianou said the Turkish side was trying to demonstrate that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots could not live together again.