Pachyammos: Chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Georgios Tsitsikostas, emphasized on Sunday that the ongoing Turkish provocations and the persistent occupation of part of Cyprus by Turkish troops necessitate constant vigilance. “With full awareness of our responsibility, and based on the fact that the enemy is already here, it is evident that there is no other option but to be constantly ready in order to ensure the protection, security, and, consequently, the prosperity of the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus,” he stated.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Tsitsikostas delivered these remarks during a memorial speech at the national commemoration for those who fell during the Tylliria battles. The event took place at the Church of Saints Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene in Pachyammos village, attended by the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and Archbishop of Cyprus Georgios. Tsitsikostas stressed that it is everyone’s duty and obligation to work tirelessly for a strong and proud homeland in a united, coordinated, and determined manner.
The Tylliria region in Cyprus witnessed conflict in August 1964, marked by heavy bombardments from Turkish forces, who launched air and artillery attacks against Greek Cypriot villages. “We stand before the heroic inhabitants of Tylliria, who endured so much, suffering fire and death for the first time,” he said, acknowledging their defense of their homeland, ancestral homes, and the presence of Hellenism in Cyprus.
Reflecting on the resistance of the National Guard during those days, Tsitsikostas noted that 61 years later, the National Guard maintains the highest readiness to fulfill its sacred mission. “We owe it to our homeland and our ancestors, we owe it to our people and our children, we owe it to our heroes,” he affirmed.
He further highlighted that the National Guard personnel have been, and will continue to be, the most crucial force multiplier. History, he pointed out, teaches that the real advantage lies not in numbers or size, but in the quality of human resources and high morale.
As in Tylliria, where ‘numbers are not in our favor, they never were,’ Cyprus must rely on the qualitative superiority of its people. “Few but exceptional, like the fighting spirit and determination of those National Guardsmen of ’64, who broke down every enemy resistance and imposed their own terms on the battle,” he observed.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have yet to produce successful outcomes, with the latest negotiations in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ending inconclusively.