Cyprus was practically split in two when Turkey occupied the northern part of the island in 1974.
Today marks 50 years since the split of the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea.
Cyprus was practically split in two when Turkey occupied the northern part of the island in 1974. The attack was a response to a coup attempt in Cyprus supported by the Greek military junta.
The northern part of the island declared independence in 1983, but only Turkey has recognized the region’s independence. The Greek southern part of Cyprus is part of the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus.
The Turkish northern part of the island has demanded the recognition of the northern and southern parts of the island as independent states after decades of failed unification attempts. In 2004, a referendum was organized in Cyprus, where the Turks accepted the peace plan outlined by the UN. However, the Greeks rejected it. The last unsuccessful negotiations to unify the island took place in 2017.