Oğuz: TRNC Is a Safe State, Organised Crime Will Never Be Tolerated

Speaking after the armed attack that took place on Tuesday, Oğuz said the incident had caused serious concern across society and wished the injured citizens a speedy recovery.

“Unfortunately, another incident we did not want to see occurred in recent days. Two of our citizens were injured in an attack. This has understandably not remained limited to the location of the incident, but has created anxiety and unease throughout the country,” Oğuz said, stressing that the state adopts a zero-tolerance approach to such incidents.

Oğuz noted that over the past year, some organised crime groups with links abroad, particularly to the Republic of Turkey, have targeted businesspeople, commercial circles and, in recent months, car dealerships through threats and extortion attempts. He said police have been conducting intensive and meticulous investigations based on both media reports and individual complaints.

High-Level Security Cooperation With Turkey

The interior minister underlined that very close and effective cooperation is being maintained with the Republic of Turkey in the field of security. He said direct talks had taken place between the Prime Minister and the Turkish Vice President, followed by an official visit by the Interior Ministry to Turkey.

During that visit, coordination was ensured with the Police General Directorate and relevant authorities, Oğuz said. “Because the threats we are facing are not just individual crimes, but serious attempts targeting the peace and security of the country. We addressed in detail what can be done to prevent, neutralise and completely eliminate these threats,” he added.

Oğuz recalled that under the existing security agreement between Turkey and the TRNC, real-time information sharing is carried out, and that during the most recent incidents, rapid exchanges of information took place between the security forces of the two countries.

“No Unsolved Files”

Highlighting the work of the Police Force and the Police General Directorate, Oğuz said security forces had demonstrated exceptional effort. “All threats, shootings and similar incidents that have occurred to date have been fully solved. There is not a single unresolved file related to such crimes,” he said.

He stated that eight organised incidents previously targeting businesspeople had been solved, with 14 suspects arrested, while in four attacks targeting car dealerships, a total of 15 suspects have so far been detained and legal proceedings are ongoing.

Oğuz added that, based on intelligence sharing and security lists with Turkey, certain individuals have been barred from entering the country, while technological measures have also been strengthened. He said teams from the Turkish National Police had visited Northern Cyprus twice in the past month regarding facial recognition cameras, full agreement had been reached, and installation would begin as soon as possible.

X-Ray System for Kyrenia Port

Oğuz said investigations showed that a significant portion of illegal weapons were being brought in via trucks. He announced that a major security gap at Kyrenia Port would be addressed with the installation of an X-ray system, which is expected to become operational within the next one or two weeks.

He noted that a similar system is already in use at Famagusta Port and that with the new installation at Kyrenia, vehicle and truck inspections would become far more effective. Thermal cameras will also be installed at ports in the near future, he added.

“Using a 17-Year-Old Is Unacceptable”

Oğuz said the use of a 17-year-old in the most recent incident had deeply saddened society, describing it as not only a security issue but also a serious social problem.

“A child who should be holding a pen at that age was given a gun. This is unacceptable. It has wounded the public conscience and damaged the country’s image. Such structures exploit young people as tools, and we will continue to fight this with determination,” he said.

Penalties to Be Increased

Oğuz said steps were also being taken to strengthen the police legally by enhancing deterrence. He noted that this issue was discussed in detail at the Internal Security Consultation Meeting held under the coordination of Prime Minister Ünal Üstel.

“Even if there are reactions in public opinion, our government will not hesitate to increase penalties,” Oğuz said, adding that perpetrators in recent shooting cases had received prison sentences of 8.5 and 10 years, with penalties increasing further depending on the nature of the crime.

“There Is a State Here”

Concluding his remarks, Oğuz delivered a clear message: “The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not a country where one can say ‘I come, commit crimes and go unpunished’. There is a state here, there is governance, and there is a strong will.”

Border Controls and Immigration

Oğuz said individuals deemed a security risk are classified as “inadmissible passengers” and denied entry. Under the 18–30 age risk assessment framework, 78 out of 676 people were refused entry, while in 2025 overall, a total of 5,230 individuals were denied entry despite holding transit visas.

Stressing that these measures are not arbitrary, Oğuz said immigration police act based on intelligence-led assessments to prevent the entry of individuals posing security risks, noting that such practices play a key role in deterrence.