The Movement for Social Democracy (EDEK), a Greek Cypriot party, drew public reaction after mistakenly using a photo of Turkish Cypriots killed in a massacre, which was committed by a Greek paramilitary organization in 1974, in its election campaign advertisement.
In the election advertisement, covering the history of Cyprus and prepared for May 22 parliamentary elections, left-wing nationalist EDEK used the photos of Turkish Cypriots massacred in Muratağa, Sandallar, and Atlılar villages by EOKA-B paramilitary organization in 1974, within the section covering Turkish intervention to the island the same year.
Following reactions, the advertisement was removed from EDEK's official Facebook account.
Anadolu Agency (AA) reported that Greek Cypriot media described the incident as a gaffe, while Politis newspaper commented that the incident shows that massacring women and children in three villages still not known by a large portion of Greek Cypriot community even after 42 years had passed.
EDEK's press representative Yorgos Agapiyu said in his Twitter account that the photos were "mistakenly" included in the advertisement and that the content and the message aimed in the ad did not match.
Some 126 Turkish Cypriots, mostly children, women, and elders were massacred by EOKA-B militants on August 14, 1974, in the aftermath of Turkey's military intervention to the island that followed inter-communal violence and a junta-backed military coup to unite the island with Greece.
The mass graves containing bodies of villagers were uncovered by advancing Turkish troops with the presence of United Nations peacekeeping forces and foreign press.
The massacres targeting Turkish Cypriot community were among the main reasons for Turkey to launch the second part of the operation and reach current borders.
