Turkey has declared a notice to airmen (NOTAM) issued over possible military activity near Cyprus invalid, amid accusations that Nicosia is turning the island into a target.
Rear Adm. Zeki Akturk, a spokesman for Turkey’s Defense Ministry, on Wednesday said the notice concerning operations off the Karpas peninsula was “null and void,” accusing the Greek Cypriot side of creating “jurisdictional confusion.”
He said authorities in the Turkish-occupied north had issued a counter-NOTAM on Tuesday that effectively canceled the original advisory.
A NOTAM is an official notice providing essential information for flight operations.
Akturk also accused the Cyprus government of increasing militarization on the island, saying it had “made Cyprus a target” by allowing a foreign military presence.
He added that Turkey would continue to take measures as a guarantor power to ensure the security of Turkish Cypriots and the island as a whole.
The initial notice had warned of “possible military operations” in the area and advised pilots to exercise caution and maintain contact with Cypriot air traffic controllers.