A woman walks by a UN sign in the UN buffer zone inside the village of Pyla on the outskirts of Larnaca, in a file photo. UN peacekeepers were attacked last month for trying to prevent the Turkish Cypriots from building an illegal road between Pyla and the occupied village of Arsos. [PETROS KARADJIAS/AP]
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has described as “unacceptable” Monday’s incident in the buffer zone village of Mammari, where Turkish soldiers and police from the Turkish-occupied north harassed and physically threatened Cypriot farmers.
“In addition to informing the United Nations, we are taking all necessary measures as a matter of priority,” Christodoulides said, stressing that the safety of residents and farmers working in the area is the government’s primary concern.
According to farmer Gavriel Yerolemou, the incident occurred while he and his father were working in their field, around 300 meters from a Turkish military outpost, when more than 20 Turkish soldiers and police officers approached them and attempted to detain them.
Yerolemou said tensions escalated after a soldier tried to take the keys from their parked vehicle, prompting additional armed personnel to arrive and surround the area. He alleged that stones were thrown and that he was briefly grabbed by the throat during the confrontation.
He added that a police officer attempted to climb onto his father’s tractor in an effort to stop them. As his father drove away, the officer reportedly fell from the vehicle, while the security forces shouted commands in both Turkish and English.
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) said it is investigating the incident and has increased its presence in the area to prevent further escalation. “We are in communication with both sides and peacekeepers are closely monitoring the situation,” UNFICYP spokesperson Alim Siddiq said.