On July 20, 1974, at 5:20am, 40,000 Turkish troops landed and invaded northern Cyprus after last-minute talks in the Greek capital, Athens, failed to reach a solution. The Turkish troops under the command of Lieutenant Nurettin Ersin implemented their invasion plan, code-named ‘Attila’, illegally invading the island in violation of the UN Security Council Charter. The blue sky of Cyprus quickly dulled with smoke from bombs dropped by the Turkish warplanes. Hundreds feared for their lives as the

The Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 followed a coup by Greek Cypriots aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece. In response, Turkey launched a military intervention to protect Turkish Cypriots, resulting in the division of the island. Turkey seized the northern third, displacing thousands and creating a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone. The invasion intensified ethnic divisions and led to the creation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey. #turkey #cyprus #turki