How many died in Turkish invasion of Cyprus?

The violence resulted in the death of 364 Turkish and 174 Greek Cypriots, destruction of 109 Turkish Cypriot or mixed villages and displacement of 25,000–30,000 Turkish Cypriots. The British Daily Telegraph later called it an “anti Turkish pogrom”.

Who started the Cyprus war?

The 1974 Cypriot coup d’état, initiated by the Greek military junta, was followed five days later by Turkey’s invasion, leading to the occupation of the northern part of the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus.

Why did Britain take over Cyprus?

Under Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli and Foreign Minister Lord Salisbury, Britain used its diplomatic prowess to obtain Cyprus from the Ottoman Empire in 1878. Britain promised to use Cyprus as a base to protect the Ottoman Empire from Russia, according to the secret Cyprus Convention agreement.

Why is Cyprus divided?

Executive power is exercised by the government. Cyprus has been a divided island since 1974 when Turkey invaded to support Turkish Cypriots in response to a military coup on the island which was backed by the Athens government.

Did Cyprus used to be British?

Cyprus became a British protectorate in 1912; by 1922, it was a crown colony. It gained independence in 1960, on the proviso that Britain maintained its military territories. Today, the two UK Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) occupy nearly three per cent of Cyprus. Half a century on, Britain is still here.

Was Cyprus colonized?

Cyprus was initially colonized by the ancient Greeks and subsequently conquered by every ruling empire in the surrounding area up to 1571, when the Ottoman Turks gained control. Since then, the Cypriot conflict has been an identity- based conflict that sits in the center of the binary divide between east and west.

What did EOKA do to Turks?

From 19 January 1957 to the end of March, EOKA’s guerrillas attacked members of the Turkish community, starting with a Turkish Cypriot police officer, sparking riots lasting 3 days. Intercommunal (and intra-communal) violence escalated in the summer of 1958 with numerous fatalities.