Erdoğan: Northern Cyprus needs to be protected from all sides

Asked whether there is a plan to set up a Turkish military base in the northeastern Karpas peninsula in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Erdogan said Turkish drones may also be sent to the region.

Turkish unarmed aerial vehicles and combat drones are in Northern Cyprus to protect it from all sides, the Turkish president has said.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan was speaking to reporters on his way back from the first European Political Community Summit in Prague on Thursday.

Asked whether there is a plan to set up a Turkish military base in the northeastern Karpas peninsula in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Erdogan said Turkish drones may also be sent to the region.

“Because we need to secure Northern Cyprus from all sides, from all aspects. Whether it (the base) is (set up) or not, our jets will immediately be in Northern Cyprus as soon as they take off from our mainland,” he added.