A memorial was held in the village of Acheritou on Sunday to a Turkish soldier who was shot dead in his guard post near the village in 1996.

Allahverdi Kilic was shot four times while on guard duty near the village on September 8 that year, while Burhan Cihangir, who was stationed at the same guard post, was shot but not killed in the incident.

The Turkish Cypriot side maintains that the shots were fired by Greek Cypriot soldiers, while the Macedonian Press Agency (MPA)’s September 1996 news review states that the Republic of Cyprus’ authorities denied the allegation.

“The Republic of Cyprus’ authorities deny this and do not rule out the possibility of a false flag operation since, according to the evidence, the Turkish outposts in the area are … located at a distance of approximately 700 metres from the National Guard’s outposts,” they said.

After the event, Cyprus’ parliamentary leaders of the day had called for calm, with then-Disy leader Nicos Anastasiades saying, “the first indications are convincing and confirm information that … false flag actions were expected on the part of the Turks under the guise of Greek Cypriot revenge.”

“Those who cause and want to cause tension between the two communities do not want a peaceful solution and reunification in Cyprus based on the United Nations’ resolutions,” he said.

Then-Akel leader Andreas Christou said that information available to the police seemed to confirm the action had been carried out exclusively inside the north, while then-Diko leader Spyros Kyprianou said, “the Turkish side is trying to prove that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots cannot live together again.”

Sunday’s ceremony was attended by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, the north’s ‘parliament speaker’ Zorlu Tore, and other high-profile dignitaries.

Kilic had moved to Cyprus as an infant in 1976.

His death was the last act of a turbulent summer of 1996 in Cyprus, which had seen two Greek Cypriot civilians, Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomou, killed during two separate demonstrations in the buffer zone near Deryneia.

Isaac was killed on August 11, 1996, when Greek Cypriot motorcyclist protestors were met in the buffer zone by Turkish Cypriot counter-protestors who, according to the United Nations report on the incident, were “joined by members of the Grey Wolves who had come from Turkey”.

As demonstrators from both sides broke into the buffer zone, the incident became violent. Isaac found himself entangled in barbed wire in the buffer zone and was beaten to death by Turkish Cypriots and Turks.

Solomou was killed three days later when, following Isaac’s funeral, Greek Cypriot demonstrators once again travelled to Deryneia.

Solomou distanced himself from his fellow protestors and walked towards a Turkish military post, attempting to climb a flagpole to remove a Turkish flag, before being shot dead by a Turkish soldier.