PodcastSyrian refugees arrive in Turkish Cyprus by boat, two shot by police
The police force of the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) early on July 9 shot two Syrian refugees for attempting to run away after arriving at a beach on a boat. The TRNC police said that refugees continued to run away despite warning shots, and eventually they opened fire on them, injuring two.
Nikolaos Stelya / DUVAR
Thirty Syrian refugees arrived early on July 9 in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) by boat. Two of the refugees were shot by the TRNC police after attempting to run away, Turkish Cypriot media reported.
According to reports, the 30 refugees (consisting of 20 men, three women and seven children) travelling on a boat landed at a beach in the village of Yayla/Syrianohori. The police officers were waiting for the group's arrival upon a notification.
The police reportedly arrested two people steering the boat as well as a man who was waiting for the boat's arrival on the shore.
The TRNC police confirmed the shooting incident saying that the refugees continued to run away despite warning shots, and eventually they opened fire on them. The police said two refugees were “slightly injured.”
The injured refugees were dispatched to Lefkoşa Dr. Bulhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital, whose Chief Doctor Adil Özyılkan confirmed that that two Syrians were admitted for “firearms injuries.”
Özyılkan told Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Düzen that health officially will initially run coronavirus tests on the two refugees and then they will be treated for their injuries.