Turkish Cypriots mark 1964 Tillyria bombings anniversary in Kokkina
Around 1,250 Turkish Cypriots crossed the Limnitis roadblock for Kokkina events marking 62 years since the 1964 Tillyria bombings.
Kokkina, Cyprus. Around 1,250 Turkish Cypriots crossed through the Limnitis roadblock towards Kokkina on Saturday for annual events marking the 62nd anniversary of the Turkish air force bombings of Tillyria in 1964. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman was expected to travel to the area by helicopter.
Commemorations
The commemorations in Kokkina began at 10am and marked the Turkish air force attacks on Tillyria between August 7 and 9, 1964.
The bombings caused military and civilian casualties, while napalm was used during the air raids.
Isolation concerns
Kato Pyrgos mukhtar Nikos Cleanthous said Saturday was a day to honour those killed during the fighting.
“In 1964, Tillyria paid a heavy price, which it continues to pay to this day,” Cleanthous said.
He said the attacks contributed to the area’s isolation, which continues because of its geographical position on the west coast and limited road access.
The Kokkina enclave remains an obstacle, with the road connecting Tillyria towards Paphos and Nicosia closed. Cleanthous said this has created ongoing difficulties for residents and contributed to population decline in the area.
He called for the Kokkina roadblock to open, warning that the region faced further decline if its isolation continued.
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