Turkish Cypriot road construction 'persists despite UN intervention'

NICOSIA

Turkish Cypriot authorities have announced the continuation of road construction plans aimed at linking the ethnically mixed Pyla village in the buffer zone with the mainland, following a recent altercation with United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping forces in the region.

Turkish Cyprus's Foreign Ministry released a written statement affirming that the peacekeeping forces again dispatched personnel to the area but refrained from interference with the ongoing construction.

The announcement comes in the wake of a recent confrontation between Turkish Cypriot forces and U.N. peacekeepers, where the latter obstructed road construction efforts in the village of Pyla, located within the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone.

Authorities in Turkish Cyprus assert that the road project holds a "humanitarian objective," aiming to provide easier access for residents of Pyla village. They criticized the UNFICYP (United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus) for their actions, labeling them as "unacceptable" and accusing them of bias toward the Greek Cypriot side.

The road would grant Turkish Cypriots direct access to Pyla, circumventing a checkpoint at the northern border of a British military base.

Greek Cypriots, however, view the road construction as a potentially military-driven move in a sensitive buffer zone. UNFICYP stated that the road construction would breach their mandate of maintaining the buffer zone's status quo.

The confrontation saw U.N. soldiers attempting to halt the road construction using barbed wire and concrete barriers. Multiple injuries were reported, with three U.N. soldiers and eight Turkish policemen receiving battery reports for injuries sustained during the clash.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also condemned the U.N. Peacekeepers' intervention in the road construction. Türkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Ömer Çelik, for his part, defended the road construction and criticized the U.N. peacekeepers' "unacceptable" stance via social media.

Meanwhile, Russia vetoed the statement condemning the Turkish side for allegedly using violence against the peacekeeping forces in the U.N. Security Council. According to Greek Cypriot daily Fileleftheros, the United States, Britain and France gave full support to the U.N. declaration, while China abstained.

Separately, the United States, which lifted an arms embargo on the Greek Cypriot administration two years ago, has decided to continue arms sales this year, eliciting another condemnation from Ankara.

“We invite the United States once again to review its policies, which pose risks to stability in the region. Türkiye, as a guarantor state, will continue to ensure the existence, security and peace of the Turkish Cypriots within the framework of its historical and legal responsibilities," the Turkish ministry said in a statement.