Turkish FM warns Southern Cyprus against involvement in Gaza ops

Hakan Fidan, Türkiye's Foreign Minister, warned about the potential escalation of conflicts and the involvement of external players, Caliber.Az reports citing his interview with Turkish media.

He specifically cautioned against the Greek Cypriot community of Cyprus participating in operations in Gaza, citing intelligence reports indicating its use as a logistical base.

"After October 7, following the initial operations launched by Israel, we consistently observed in intelligence reports that the Greek administration of Cyprus is being used as a base by some countries, particularly for operations against the Gaza Strip. When we raised this issue, they declared this place as a logistical base for Gaza. In reality, we pointed out that this logistical operation has effectively turned the place into a military base. The use of this base and the Greek islands for Middle Eastern operations will not benefit the Greek community of Cyprus or Greece. We have advised, including the Greeks, to stay away from these locations because involvement in the ongoing Middle Eastern wars, taking sides, can cause the conflict to spill over to your own territory," Fidan stated.

Fidan underscored the need to prevent further militarization in the region, emphasizing the potential risks of escalating tensions spreading beyond current conflict zones.