The foreign ministry on Friday said it wished to “reaffirm” its “solidarity” with the United States on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, describing those attacks as “heinous”.
“We remember the innocent victims, the heroic first responders, and all those whose lives were forever changed as a result of the terrorist acts. As we honour their memory and bravery, we reaffirm our solidarity with the US and our unwavering determination to stand together against terrorism in all its forms,” it said.
Later on Friday, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos attended an event held at the American embassy in Nicosia, saying afterwards that “we remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost on 9/11, and all those whose lives were forever changed on that horrific day”.
“Twenty-five years on, we honour their memory and reaffirm our shared commitment to peace, freedom, human dignity, and the values which unite us. Terrorism knows no borders. Our resolve must remain stronger than ever,” he said.
He added that “Cyprus stands in solidarity with the people of the United States”, and that “we reiterate our readiness to work even more closely with the United States”.
“This is a partnership of choice, a foreign policy directive, and a direction to the future,” he said.
Four planes hijacked by 19 men
A total of 19 men hijacked four airlines on the morning of September 11, flying one into each of the twin towers at the World Trade Center in New York, and a third into the Pentagon.
The fourth plane crashed in a field in rural Pennsylvania following a passenger revolt on board.
Exactly 2,996 people – 2,977 victims and the 19 hijackers – died as a direct result of the attacks, while it is estimated that more than 5,000 people died as a result of health complications related to them.
Following the attacks, the US government launched its global war on terror, invading both Iraq and Afghanistan. The man behind the attacks, Osama bin Laden, was killed during a US military raid in Pakistan in 2011.
In Iraq, the US and its allies toppled the regime led by Saddam Hussein in 2003, before pulling out of the country between 2007 and 2011. Swathes of Iraq then fell under the control of the Islamic State in the 2010s, though this has been diminishing in recent years.
In Afghanistan, the US and its allies overthrew the Taliban and attempted to form a unitary republic in the country. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan then collapsed within days of the US pulling out of the country in 2021, with the Taliban retaking control of the country in its entirety.
Click here to change your cookie preferences