TRNC Foreign Affairs says US warplanes did not violate it's airspace

The TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied the reports that US 'F-22 warplanes flew over the island within the scope of the exercise initiated by the USA.

In a written statement, it was stated that the news that the Cyprus airspace was violated by the US warplanes was not true, and it was stated that "all kinds of activities taking place around the airspace of the country are constantly followed closely by the relevant institutions.

In a statement issued on Monday, the foreign ministry said that it was obvious that the Greek Cypriot side was attempting to raise tensions by fabricating such news reports.

The TRNC Foreign Ministry on Monday issued a statement clarifying reports that emerged in the Greek Cypriot press recently claiming that US fighter jets had flown over TRNC airspace.

On October 27, the Greek Cypriot public broadcaster Cybc reported that American F-22 fighter jets flew over Gazimağusa and Karpaz in the context of a US exercise in the eastern Mediterranean.

The statement said that all activity over the TRNC’s airspace was closely monitored by the authorities and that the fighter jets in question had pulled back before entering the TRNC’s airspace.

“It must be known that all possible scenarios that could take place within the framework of the exercise were evaluated in advance and all necessary precautions were taken. We like to stress once more that our airspace and the security of the Turkish Cypriot people are always safeguarded by motherland Türkiye, the Turkish Peace Forces in Cyprus and the Cyprus Turkish Security Forces,” the foreign ministry statement read.

It added that the distorted news report published by the Greek Cypriot media was aimed at raising tensions in the region.