President Ersin Tatar, who received a delegation from the Kocaeli Körfez Municipality and Cyprus war veterans on Monday, emphasized the importance of the continued presence of Turkish troops and Türkiye’s guarantees for security and stability in the region, particularly in light of the recent developments in Gaza.

Welcoming the delegation from Kocaeli on Monday, President Ersin Tatar expressed his gratitude to the Turkish Armed Forces which carried out the Turkish Peace Operation on July 20, 1974.

Paying tribute to all those who served and fell during the national struggle years and the Turkish Peace Operation, the president highlighted the significance of the struggle against the goal set by the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo to annex the island to Greece.

He said it had not been easy for Türkiye to carry out the Turkish Peace Operation, particularly when considering the conditions at the time.

Tatar also stated that the establishment of an independent Turkish state in Cyprus was only possible with Türkiye’s military intervention which was why Turkish Cypriots, out of a sense of loyalty, do not forget the Cyprus War veterans.

Underscoring the importance of the continued presence of Turkish troops on the island, President Tatar said that the recent history in places such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, and Palestine revealed the importance of the presence of Turkish troops and Türkiye’s guarantees for security and stability in the region.