Assault on Afrika Newspaper in Northern Cyprus

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Published in the Northern Cyprus, Afrika Newspaper has been assaulted by a group gathering in front of the newspaper building due to its headline “Peace Operation to Cyprus, Olive Branch to Syria…Another Occupation Operation by Turkey”.

Newspaper’s editor-in-chief Şener Levent whom we spoke with as of 11:15 a.m. said that they are in a mood similar to Madımak*.

Saying that as many as 200-300 people gathered in front of the building and broke the windows with stones, Levent said they heard that groups from neighboring villages started to head towards the building.

Levent added that the police in front of the building are standing inefficient.

Erdoğan had said that “They have to answer”

Speaking in Bursa about the headline, President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said:

“A journalist in the Northern Cyprus gave a dirty headline…It says ‘Turkey is carrying out a new occupation after Cyprus’. They need to answer to my brothers and sisters in the Nothern Cyprus”.

Levent stated that they didn’t see any reaction before Erdoğan’s statement and said that Erdoğan’s words ignited the wick. (EKN/TK)

* The Madımack massacre refers to the events of July 2, 1993, which resulted in the killing of 35 people, mostly Alevi intellectuals, and two hotel employees. Two people from the mob also died. The victims, who had gathered for a cultural festival in Sivas, Turkey, were killed when a mob set fire to the hotel where the Alawi group had assembled.