United Nations vehicles remained at the buffer zone on Saturday morning, in the Frenaros – Vrysoulles area in the eastern part of the island, where tension occurred on Friday morning between UN members and a farmer who went to the site with his employees to cultivate fields.

The Police completed taking statements from members of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), who made an official complaint, and the farmers are expected to be called in for testimony as well.

Military and police personnel of UNFICYP remained at the site until 1630 Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, there were six UNFICYP vehicles at the site, staffed by 15 peacekeeping force members, with instructions not to allow farmers to sow the fields.

In a written statement on Friday, UNFICYP Spokesperson Aleem Siddique noted that farming “near the ceasefire lines inside the UN buffer zone is strictly prohibited and risks provoking tensions. No farmer is ever granted permission to work near the ceasefire lines, such actions jeopardise the safety and security of both civilians and UN peacekeepers”.

UNFICYP called on “all farmers to comply with all UN rules and regulations for farming activities inside the buffer zone” noting that “our top priority remains to prevent tensions and maintain the status quo across the UN buffer zone”.

Members of UNFICYP made an official complaint on Friday to the Deryneia Police Station regarding the incident. The spokesperson of the Famagusta Police Department, Andreas Constantinou, said that according to the complaint, “two members of the Peacekeeping Force were attacked by the farmer and his employees, resulting in one of them being slightly injured, while three of their vehicles were damaged”.

The CNA has learnt that the Police completed taking statements from UNFICYP members yesterday, while the farmers against whom offenses related to common assault, malicious damage, public insult, public disturbance, and breach of the peace are being investigated are expected to be called in to give statements. The handling of the case will be done according to the completion of the investigative work.

According to information, however, there is unrest among the farmers who cultivate fields within the buffer zone.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. A UN-controlled land separates the northern Turkish-occupied areas from the southern government controlled part of the country.