NICOSIA, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Greek Cypriots were woken up by the blood-chilling wailing of sirens 5:20 at dawn on Sunday reminding them of the start of a Turkish military action 40 years ago that radically changed the facade of Cyprus and gave rise to one of the most intractable international problems.
To commemorate the event, Greek Cypriots organized solemn church services in memory thousands of people killed in several days of fighting and in air attacks.
The problem took shape when Turkish troops landed on the eastern Mediterranean island at dawn on July 20, 1974, in reaction to a coup staged five days earlier by the military junta then ruling Greece.
Turkey military intervened and controlled the north of Cyprus. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot authorities declared breakaway and set up "the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", which is recognized only by Turkey.
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