Turkey Marks 62 Years Since ‘Bloody Christmas’ Killings

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has commemorated the 62nd anniversary of what it calls the “Bloody Christmas” events of 1963. The ministry honored Turkish Cypriots killed during attacks that began on December 21, 1963. It stated the violence was carried out by the Greek Cypriot armed group EOKA. The term “Bloody Christmas” refers to the start of inter-communal conflict on the island. The fighting led to the collapse of the Republic of Cyprus’s power-sharing government. Turkey’s statement reaffirms its view of the events as a systematic campaign against Turkish Cypriots. The anniversary remains a point of deep historical disagreement between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities.