The Twitter message on Wednesday came after Turkish soldiers were mobilised on Tuesday, in the Astromeritis area, west of the capital Nicosia, in the sight of a Greek Cypriot farmer who went to the Buffer Zone to do work, related to his agricultural activity in the area. The soldiers were intercepted by members of the UN peacekeeping force (UNFICYP) patrolling the area. According to the UN, no military violations have taken place.
In the post, UNFICYP said “peacekeepers are on patrol inside the #UN buffer zone. We are stepping up our patrols across hotspots to prevent tensions and keep the peace”.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The UN-controlled Buffer zone is separating the northern, Turkish-occupied areas from the southern, government-controlled part of the country.