In July 1974, the Greek military junta backed a coup against Cypriot President Archbishop Makarios, installing Nikos Sampson, a known anti-Turkish figure. In response, Turkey launched a military operation on July 20, 1974, citing its rights as a guarantor power under the Treaty of Guarantee. A ceasefire was declared on July 22, but talks in Geneva failed to reach a resolution. Turkey launched a second operation on August 14-16, resulting in the current de facto division of the island. These events led to significant population exchanges between the north and south of Cyprus.
These newspapers serve as invaluable primary sources, providing contemporary accounts of events that shaped the Turkish Cypriot experience. They offer researchers, historians, and the general public direct access to how these pivotal moments were reported and perceived at the time, free from later interpretations or revisionism.