Martyrs who fell while defending towns, villages and enclaves during the second phase of the Turkish Peace operation that liberated the Turkish Cypriot people are continuing to be remembered with ceremonies.

On August 15, 1974, the men of the village of Taşkent were rounded up by Greek Cypriots and murdered.

A commemoration ceremony was held this morning to commemorate the Taşkent Martyrs.

The ceremony to commemorate the Taşkent Martyrs began with the laying of wreaths, a minute’s silence being observed, the firing of shots in tribute and flags raised to the national anthem.

Delivering a speech at the ceremony President Tatar emphasized that it is not possible to forget that the Turkish Cypriots have suffered a lot and paid a high price and that what happened 50 years ago happened in front of the eyes of the world and the United Nations.

Stating that while the Turkish Cypriots put forward their will to find a fair, permanent and sustainable solution in Cyprus, the events that took place should not be forgotten, said Tatar and explained that the Cyprus issue did not start in 1974, and that the massacres began since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus.

He emphasized that if there is to be an agreement in Cyprus, sovereignty, equality and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) state must be a part of the agreement.

Tatar also drew attention to the importance of Türkiye’s guarantorship and said, “The continuation of Motherland Türkiye’s  guarantorship, which comes from history and is its right, and as a deterrent force, the presence of Turkish soldiers on the island must continue in order to prevent us from reliving such painful days and genocides.”

President Tatar underlined that in order not to experience such pain again in Cyprus, the red lines that are cherished must be defended.

The commemoration ceremony in Taşkent ended with a visit to the “Taşkent Massacre Martyrs Museum”.