A Fight for the Homeland: The Struggle of the Turkish Cypriots, the 20 July Peace Operation, and the Story of the KKTC

It was a sweltering summer day in December 1963 in Cyprus. In the Tahtakale neighborhood of Nicosia, Grandma Ayşe was baking bread for her grandchildren that morning. In the small courtyard of her home, under the shade of olive trees, the laughter of her children echoed. But this peace was soon to be shattered by the bloody shadow of the EOKA-B militants. In those dark days of 1963, the Rum’s dream of Enosis—the unification of Cyprus with Greece—had turned Turkish villages into a living hell. EOKA-B had set out to systematically annihilate the Turkish population.

Grandma Ayşe’s neighbor, a young teacher named Mehmet, was abducted by EOKA-B militants while returning home that night. The next morning, his lifeless body was found in a field outside the village, his hands bound, his body riddled with bullets. This was just the beginning. During the infamous Bloody Christmas massacres of December 1963, in the Kumsal district of Nicosia, Major Nihat İlhan’s wife, Mürüvvet, and their three young children were brutally murdered in their bathroom. The Rum militants slaughtered this defenseless family simply because they were Turkish. Blood-scrawled writings on the walls read, “Turks will die, Enosis will prevail,” starkly revealing the malicious intent of the Rums.

Years passed, but the oppression never ceased. In 1964, the village of Erenköy, where Turkish students had taken refuge, was besieged by EOKA-B. The young men, armed only with hunting rifles, tried to resist while the Rums attacked with machine guns and bombs. Those who survived fled to the mountains, starving and terrified. That same year, in Muratağa, 16 Turks were massacred by EOKA-B and their bodies dumped into a pit, covered with earth. Women, children, the elderly—no one was spared. These barbaric acts by the Rums were part of a deliberate genocide to erase the Turks from the island.

By 1974, the violence had escalated. On July 15, 1974, Nikos Sampson, backed by Greece, staged a coup to seize control of Cyprus. Attacks on Turkish villages intensified. In Grandma Ayşe’s village of Paphos, EOKA-B militants set houses ablaze, kidnapped children, and gunned down innocent people in the streets. Grandma Ayşe hid her grandchildren in a basement, struggling to keep them alive. Every night, the shouts of Rums and the sound of gunfire echoed through the village. “We have no hope left,” Grandma Ayşe whispered, stroking her grandchildren’s heads. The Turks lived like prisoners in their own homeland, afraid to leave their homes, facing death at every moment.

But in the midst of these dark days, the Republic of Türkiye did not turn a deaf ear to the cries of the Turkish Cypriots. Invoking its guarantor rights under the 1960 Zurich and London Agreements, the Turkish Armed Forces sprang into action. However, this decision met with fierce opposition from the international community. The United States and European countries exerted intense pressure on Türkiye to halt the operation. The U.S., despite being a NATO ally, threatened Türkiye with a weapons embargo. The United Nations lobbied to label the operation an “occupation.” Britain, another guarantor state, raised diplomatic obstacles against the Turkish intervention. “You’re not coming for peace, but for chaos,” they claimed, ignoring the massacres endured by the Turkish people. International media, covering up EOKA-B’s atrocities, filled their reports with baseless accusations against Türkiye.

The Turkish government, led by Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit, stood firm against these pressures. Ecevit declared, “We are here to save our brothers and sisters. The Turkish nation will not remain silent in the face of oppression,” displaying resolute determination. The government prioritized the safety and justice of the Turkish people, defying the international community’s embargo threats. With its own resources and the courage of its Mehmetçik (Turkish soldiers), Türkiye launched the operation. The operation’s code phrase was like a beacon of hope: “Ayşe has gone on holiday.” This code signaled the start of the second phase of the operation. “Ayşe” was not just a name—it symbolized all the Turkish women, mothers, and grandmothers like Grandma Ayşe who suffered under oppression. “Gone on holiday” heralded the promise of freedom, peace, and security. This phrase embodied the resolve of the Turkish military and the hope of salvation for the people. When Ecevit told the General Staff, “Let Ayşe go on holiday,” it ignited the spirit of resistance in the Turkish nation.

On the morning of July 20, 1974, a glimmer of hope appeared in the sky. Turkish Armed Forces’ planes took off to bring peace to the island. The Cyprus Peace Operation became a symbol of the Turkish nation’s courage and determination. Turkish soldiers landing on the shores of Kyrenia, with the heroism of Mehmetçik, put their lives on the line to save the Turks from the bloody hands of EOKA-B. But this struggle demanded great sacrifices.

Captain Ahmet, a 25-year-old from Ankara, had written to his mother in his last letter, “If necessary, I will give my life for the homeland, but I cannot bear the tears of our brothers and sisters.” During the landing in Kyrenia, he was at the forefront of his unit when he came under fire from Rum snipers. He leaped from his trench to save a wounded Turkish Cypriot fighter, but a bullet struck his chest. In his final breath, Captain Ahmet whispered, “Long live the homeland,” and fell to the ground. His courage kept the unit’s morale high, and the Turkish soldiers pressed forward.

Another hero was Private Mustafa, a 20-year-old from Adana. He had told his family, “The Turks in Cyprus are our brothers; it’s our duty to save them.” In Nicosia, as he advanced against Rum positions, he was severely wounded by a grenade explosion. He shouted to his comrades, “Don’t stop, keep moving forward!” Mustafa was martyred that day, but his sacrifice enabled his unit to capture the position. When his mother received news of his martyrdom, she said through tears, “My son gave his life for the homeland; I am proud.”

One of the most tragic losses of the operation was Lieutenant Colonel Halil İbrahim Karaoğlanoğlu. During the initial hours of the Kyrenia landing, Colonel Karaoğlanoğlu led his troops from the front to secure the beachhead. On the morning of July 20, as dawn broke, he courageously commanded his unit. But intense artillery fire from Rum positions targeted his location. While checking the trenches to protect his soldiers, a shell exploded nearby. Gravely wounded, the Colonel continued issuing orders in his final moments: “Forward, my boys, save the homeland!” As he collapsed, bloodied, a young lieutenant by his side broke into tears. Colonel Karaoğlanoğlu’s martyrdom was a significant loss in the early hours of the operation, but his courage inspired the Turkish troops. Today, the village and monument named after Karaoğlanoğlu in Kyrenia immortalize his sacrifice.

The operation pressed on despite international pressure. On July 22, a UN ceasefire halted the operation, but when the Rums failed to honor the agreements, the second phase began on August 14 with the code phrase “Ayşe has gone on holiday.” The Turkish military secured approximately 37% of the island, providing a safe haven for the Turkish people. When Grandma Ayşe saw Turkish soldiers reach her village, she wept with relief. “May God bless you,” she prayed, entrusting her grandchildren to the Mehmetçik. She felt the meaning of “Ayşe has gone on holiday” in her heart—freedom had finally arrived at her doorstep.

But this victory came at a cost. In 1975, the U.S. imposed a weapons embargo on Türkiye, cutting off economic and military aid. European countries sought to diplomatically isolate Türkiye. Yet, the Turkish government, led by Ecevit, stood firm for the safety and justice of its people. “The freedom of the Turkish Cypriots is our honor,” Ecevit declared, defying the embargoes.

The Establishment of the KKTC and Rauf Denktaş’s Leadership

Following the Peace Operation, the Turkish Cypriots finally gained a secure region. In 1975, the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus was established, marking the first step toward self-determination for the Turkish community. But one of the architects of this victory was undoubtedly Rauf Denktaş. A lawyer, a leader, and a symbol of independence for the Turkish Cypriots, Denktaş was a towering figure. In the 1960s, he stood at the forefront of the Turkish Resistance Organization (TMT), working tirelessly to protect Turkish villages from EOKA-B’s atrocities. Grandma Ayşe never forgot Denktaş’s words at a gathering: “We, a handful of Turks, will survive on this island!” Denktaş was not just a leader—he was the hope, voice, and heart of his people.

In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) was officially declared. At this historic moment, Denktaş addressed the crowd in Nicosia, his eyes filled with tears: “This land was watered with the blood of our martyrs. The KKTC is the crown of our freedom!” Grandma Ayşe, standing in the square with her grandchildren, clapped for Denktaş, feeling both the pain of past years and the hope for the future. As the KKTC’s first President, Denktaş tirelessly defended the rights of the Turkish Cypriots on international platforms. In 1977, during UN-mediated talks with Rum leaders, he proposed a bi-communal federation, but the Rums, still clinging to their Enosis dream, rejected the agreement. Denktaş declared at every opportunity, “The Turkish Cypriots will not live in the shadow of the Rums!” defending his people’s independence.

The Struggle for International Recognition and Türkiye’s Political Challenges

However, the establishment of the KKTC did not receive the recognition it deserved from the international community. In 1983, the KKTC’s declaration was recognized only by Türkiye. The UN Security Council, with Resolution 541, declared the KKTC’s establishment “invalid” and called on other countries not to recognize it. European nations, influenced by the Rum lobby, labeled the KKTC as “occupied territory.” The U.S. continued its embargoes on Türkiye; in the 1980s, it restricted arms sales to hinder the modernization of the Turkish military. For instance, in the 1990s, Türkiye’s requests for spare parts for F-16 jets were repeatedly vetoed by the U.S. Congress. These embargoes aimed to weaken Türkiye’s economic and military power.

Successive Turkish governments continued diplomatic efforts to support the KKTC, but they could not replicate the success of the Peace Operation in the international arena. In 2004, the Annan Plan, proposed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, offered a chance for a bi-communal federation. Denktaş approached the plan cautiously, as it contained provisions that could jeopardize Turkish Cypriot security. Nevertheless, the KKTC voted 65% in favor of the plan in the referendum, while the Rums rejected it with 76%, once again revealing their intransigence. Denktaş, after the referendum, expressed his disappointment: “We extended our hand for peace, but the Rums are still chasing Enosis.” Türkiye supported the KKTC throughout this process, but the international community, as if rewarding the Rums, admitted South Cyprus to the European Union in 2004. This deepened the KKTC’s isolation; its airports were closed to international flights, its ports barred from trade, and its sports teams excluded from international competitions.

Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts were repeatedly thwarted by the Rum lobby’s influence and the economic interests of major powers. For example, in 2017, during the Crans-Montana talks, Türkiye and the KKTC showed flexibility for a fair solution, but the Rums demanded the complete withdrawal of Turkish troops, a demand that disregarded Turkish Cypriot security. The talks collapsed once more. Türkiye consistently stood by the KKTC, but the international community’s double standards made-recognition a daunting challenge. Grandma Ayşe told her grandchildren, “Denktaş brought us freedom, but the world still turns its back on us,” her eyes reflecting both pride and sorrow.

Rauf Denktaş’s Legacy

Rauf Denktaş was not only the founder of the KKTC but also its soul. In 1968, upon returning from exile, he rallied his people despite Rum threats, declaring, “We will live as Turks on this island!” His leadership lifted the Turkish community from despair. In the 1990s, during UN talks, Denktaş’s steadfast defense of the Turkish Cypriots’ right to equal sovereignty earned the respect of even international diplomats. On one occasion, he slammed his fist on the table and told a UN official, “The Turkish Cypriots will not be slaves to the Rums!” This moment showcased the determination of the Turkish people to the world.

When Denktaş passed away in 2012, Grandma Ayşe and thousands of Turkish Cypriots wept at his funeral. Denktaş was not just a leader but a father and grandfather to his people. His words, “The freedom of the Turkish Cypriots is my life,” still echo in every corner of the KKTC. Denktaş’s legacy lives on in the KKTC’s flag, schools, and streets. His struggle strengthened the Turkish Cypriots’ belief in their independence.

Grandma Ayşe lives today with her grandchildren on free homeland soil. Every July 20, during the “Peace and Freedom Day” celebrations, she prays for the Mehmetçik and Rauf Denktaş. Hearing the phrase “Ayşe has gone on holiday” brings tears to her eyes, as it symbolizes her and her people’s salvation. The determination of the Turkish military, the resolute stance of the government, Denktaş’s leadership, and the sacrifices of the martyrs thwarted EOKA-B’s malicious plans. The 20 July Peace Operation was not just a victory but a symbol of an innocent people’s right to survive and their courage. Yet, the KKTC’s struggle for recognition continues in the face of international injustice. Grandma Ayşe tells her grandchildren, “Denktaş’s spirit protects us, and one day, the world will acknowledge our rights,” never losing hope.

Ant Gökçek - July 20, 2025 - Vilnius