The ethnic cleansing of the Greek-Cypriots and the genocide of the Turkish-Cypriots

The ethnic cleansing of the Greek-Cypriots

The Turkish policy of violently forcing a third of the island's Greek population from their homes in the occupied North, preventing their return and settling Turks from mainland Turkey is considered an example of ethnic cleansing.

The genocide of the Turkish-Cypriots

At Christmas 1963 the Greek Cypriot militia attacked Turkish Cypriots across the island, and many men, women, and children were killed.

Hundreds of Turkish Cypriots were murdered, wounded and taken as hostages.

In the course of the violence that erupted in 1963, over 200 Turkish Cypriots went missing.

Due to immense human suffering, thousands of Turkish Cypriots fled from the island.

270 of their mosques, shrines and other places of worship were desecrated.