Turkish-Cypriot Attack on UN Peacekeepers in Cyprus Buffer Zone Sparks International Outrage
Scuffles broke out between United Nations peacekeepers and Turkish Cypriot security forces in the buffer zone of ethnically split Cyprus over unauthorized construction work. Turkish Cypriot authorities planned to build a road in an area under UN control, which the UN says disturbs the zone's status quo. Three peacekeepers were seriously injured in the clash, prompting condemnation from the US, UK, and France. The UN mission called on the Turkish Cypriot side to respect its authority, withdraw personnel and machinery from the buffer zone, and refrain from escalating tensions further.