UNFICYP facilitates religious visit for Turkish Cypriots to Larnaca

On Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) facilitated a visit for 80 Turkish Cypriots to the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque in Larnaca. The visitors arrived in two buses, and the entire crossing and visit process proceeded smoothly and without incident.

According to UNFICYP spokesperson Aleem Siddique, the peacekeeping mission actively supports such religious visits in both directions across the divide as part of its ongoing efforts to build trust between the two communities. The primary goal of these initiatives is to provide individuals with access to sites of significant cultural and religious heritage, thereby fostering connection and helping to bridge the social division on the island.

UNFICYP maintains a consistent role in coordinating these cross-border movements, ensuring that both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can visit their respective places of worship located on the other side of the island. These facilitated visits remain a key component of the mission's broader mandate to promote reconciliation and maintain stable relations between the communities while respecting their shared history and religious identity.