Turkish Cypriots' Assault on UN Peacekeepers Sparks Tensions in Divided Cyprus

The United States, France, and the United Kingdom have condemned the assault on UN peacekeepers by Turkish Cypriot forces, labeling it a "serious crime under international law." The peacekeepers were attacked while obstructing the construction of a road that would connect a Turkish Cypriot village with a mixed Greek Cypriot-Turkish Cypriot village. The three countries called the assaults "completely unacceptable" and urged the Turkish Cypriot authorities to cease any further violence against the peacekeepers and respect the UN's peacekeeping mandate. Turkish Cypriot authorities, however, blamed the peacekeepers for the altercation and dismissed the UN's statement as "unfounded allegations."