Tochni massacre
Part of Turkish invasion of Cyprus
LocationTochni, Larnaca, Cyprus
DateAugust 14, 1974; 49 years ago (1974-08-14)
TargetTurkish Cypriots
Attack type
Massacre
WeaponsGuns
Deaths84
PerpetratorsGreek Cypriot members of the EOKA B

Tochni massacre refers to the killing of 84 Turkish Cypriots from the village of Tochni, Larnaca, Cyprus by Greek Cypriot members of EOKA B during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in the Summer of 1974.

Background

During the Turkish invasion at the north of the island, members of the Greek Cypriot paramilitary group EOKA B took hostage more than 80 Turkish Cypriot men from the village of Tochni and the nearby village of Zygi, including minor boys of age 13. After being kept at a Greek elementary school during the night, the arrested Turkish Cypriots were boarded in a bus. According to the only survivor of the massacre, Suat Hussein Kafadar, the Turks were taken to the village of Palodia, where they were executed with automatic guns.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Total number of victims is 84 (78 from Tochni and 6 from Zygi). At the massacre site, according to Kafadar, there was a Greek officer.[8] Kafadar said in an interview that a Greek military officer with three stars spoke with them during the night and reassured them that they would not get hurt. "My friend, don't be afraid. Today you are prisoners, tomorrow we will be yours. In the army, nobody abuses captives." [9]

The atrocity took place the same day as the massacre of Maratha, Santalaris and Aloda, again by Greek Cypriots members of EOKA B.

In 2016, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, said "I apologize to the Turkish Cypriots for 126 women and children killed in Aloda, Maratha and Santalaris and 85 civilian men killed in Tochni as a result of the horrific murders committed by EOKA B extremists on 14 August 1974.".[10]

References

  1. ^ Dimitriou, Marios (21 August 2016). "Μια παλιά μαρτυρία στην Τόχνη" [An old testimony in Tochni]. sigmalive.com (in Hebrew). Sigma Live. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ^ Dimitriou, Marios (20 March 2014). "Κηδεύτηκαν έξι Τουρκοκύπριοι της Τόχνης" [Six Turkish Cypriots from Tochni were buried]. sigmalive.com (in Hebrew). Sigma Live. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. ^ Kukoumas, George (2 August 2015). "Σφαγές Τ/κ από τον ελληνοκυπριακό φασισμό" [Turkish massacres by Greek Cypriot fascism]. Dialogue (in Hebrew). Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Τουρκοκύπριος συγκλονίζει: Έτσι έγινε η σφαγή της Τόχνης" [Turkish Cypriot shocks: This is how the Tochni massacre happened]. protothema.gr (in Hebrew). 15 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Remembering the Tochni Massacre". T-Vine. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  6. ^ Paul Sant Cassia (2007). Bodies of Evidence: Burial, Memory, and the Recovery of Missing Persons in Cyprus. Berghahn Books. p. 61. ISBN 978-1-84545-228-5.
  7. ^ Gisela Welz (2015). European Products: Making and Unmaking Heritage in Cyprus. Berghahn Books. p. 53. ISBN 9781782388234.
  8. ^ "Ο μοναδικός επιβιώσας της Τόχνης: Δεν τρέφω μίσος για τους Ε/κ" [The sole survivor of Tochni: I have no hatred for the E/k]. politis.com.cy (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  9. ^ Sevgül Uludağ (23 August 2014). "Dohni katliamı nasıl olmuştu?" [How did the Dohni massacre happen?]. havadis (in Turkish). havadiskibris.com. Archived from the original on 30 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018. Okulun içindeyken – ki esir olarak gittik – üç yıldızlı bir Yunanlı asker geldi, adam geldi bir konuşma yaptı. Dedi ki "Arkadaşlar hiç korkmayın, bugün siz esirsanız, yarın da biz esir olabiliriz. Askerlikte esirlere kötü muamele yapılmaz
  10. ^ "Marcoullis, Kıbrıslı Türklerden özür diledi" [Marcoullis apologized to Turkish Cypriots]. KIBRIS POSTASI (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-02-05.

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