Istanbul / Anadolu

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that his country will not leave Turkish Cypriots alone in their just struggle.

This came in a post on his account on the Turkish platform 'In Social', on the occasion of 'Peace and Freedom Day' celebrated by Turkish Cyprus on July 20 every year.

Erdogan said that Turkey, as the 'motherland and guarantor state', will never leave the Turkish Cypriot people alone in their 'just struggle'.

He congratulated Turkish Cypriots on 'Peace and Freedom Day', adding: 'I send my greetings to my Turkish Cypriot brothers'.

Erdogan also remembered the martyrs of the 'Peace Operation' in Cyprus with mercy, and the veterans with gratitude.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus celebrates 'Peace and Freedom Day' on July 20, the anniversary of the launch of the military 'Peace Operation' carried out by Turkey on the island in 1974.

On that date, Turkey launched the 'Peace Operation' on the island following a military coup against Cypriot President Makarios III on the 15th of the same month.

The coup was supported by the then-ruling military junta in Greece, while Greek Cypriot armed groups targeted the Turkish inhabitants of the island.

The Turkish army launched a second military operation on August 14, 1974, and both operations succeeded in achieving their goals, and a prisoner exchange agreement was signed between the two sides on September 16 of the same year.

On February 13, 1975, the 'Turkish Federated State of Cyprus' was established in the northern part of the island, and the late Rauf Denktas was elected president of the country, which later became known as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.