The Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly Zorlu Töre is carrying out a variety of visits to Türkiye’s capital Ankara in line with the December 21-25 Martyrs Week.

During his visits he emphasized that those who are enemies of Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot people will one day get what they deserve and reminded that it was the anniversary of the Kumsal raid and stated that this raid, which was one of the most painful events in the history of Cyprus, will remain as a black stain on Greek Cypriots in history.

Stating that there is no description of the barbarism experienced,  Töre reminded that a total of 11 people were martyred together with Major Nihat İlhan’s first wife Mürüvvet İlhan and his children Kutsi, Murat and Hakan.

He commemorated the martyrs of Kumsal with much respect.

Touching upon the air operation organised by the Turkish Ministry of National Defence, Töre stated that he was pleased to learn about the operation organized by the Ministry against terrorist elements and noted that the fate of all terrorist organizations such as PKK, FETÖ, DAESH and Dev-Sol will be the same.

As part of his visit to Ankara, Töre first visited the First Parliament Building, which hosted the founding of the Republic of Türkiye, the War of Independence Museum and the Second Parliament Building and received information from the authorities.

Speaking here Töre reminded that the Assembly was working at that time even under difficult conditions while the struggle for independence was continuing.

Emphasizing that the Turkish Cypriot people have always adopted the expression “Sovereignty belongs to the nation”, Töre said that those who are against this sovereignty cannot survive in Anatolian lands.

He also visited the state cemetery and prayed at the grave of Bülent Ecevit.

Töre reminded that during the 1974 Peace Operation, Bülent Ecevit was the Prime Minister and Prof. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan was the deputy Prime Minister.

Emphasizing that they will never forget the bloody Christmas attacks and what happened afterwards, Töre said that the Greek-Greek Cypriot attacks and genocide attempts ended after the Peace Operation on July 20, 1974.

While in Ankara the Parliamentary Speaker also visited the Cebeci Military Martyrdom and Karşıyaka Asri Cemetery.

He visited the graves of Semih Sancar, who was the Chief of General Staff during the 1974 Peace Operation, Ali Rıza Vuruşkan, the legendary commander of TMT, and Kenan Coygun.

Stating that 60 years have passed from 1963 to 2023, Töre said, “if it were not for the resistance of the Turkish Cypriot people, we would not have come to this day. If Turkish planes had not come the Greeks and Greek Cypriots would have taken Lefkoşa. If it were not for the great efforts of Ali Rıza Vuruşkan’s mujahids, the Greek Cypriots would have realized their ambitions and ensured the surrender of all Turkish regions, this was their entire goal.”

Stating that the struggle that started with the establishment of TMT was crowned with the state today, Töre emphasized that both Kenan Coygun and Ali Rıza Vuruşkan are heroes.

He then visited the grave of Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, Chairman of the Grand Unity Party, who lost his life in a helicopter crash.