The notice to airmen (Notam) issued regarding possible military operations carried out in the skies off the coast of Cyprus’ Karpas peninsula is “null and void”, Turkish defence ministry spokesman rear admiral Zeki Akturk said on Wednesday,

“The Greek Cypriot side periodically raises similar issues which create jurisdictional confusion in order to disregard the rights of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” he told a press briefing.

He pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot authorities had on Tuesday issued a “counter-Notam” which “invalidated the aforementioned Notam”, before adding, “the Notam issued by the Greek Cypriot administration is null and void”.

A Notam is a notice containing information which is essential for personnel concerned with flight operations.

Akturk then added that “in recent years, the Greek Cypriot administration has made Cyprus a target by allowing the accumulation of weapons on the island and permitting other countries to use the island”.

“Our country, as a guarantor state, continues to take additional measures to ensure the security not only of the TRNC, but of the entire island,” he said.

He added that Turkey’s “commitment to ensuring the rights, interests and security of the TRNC is unwavering”.

“We have not hesitated, and we will not hesitate, to exercise the rights granted to us by our status as a guarantor power,” he said.

The initial Notam states there will be “possible military operations” in the skies off the coast of the peninsula, with pilots flying through that area urged to “exercise caution, monitor the emergency frequency, and maintain continuous radio contact” with Cypriot air traffic controllers in the area.

The latest iteration of the Notam makes no reference to the US, though earlier iterations had stated that it was the US military which may be conducting activities in the area.

Defence sources told the Cyprus Mail that the Notam, which was issued by Cyprus’ civil aviation authority, had been requested by “the Americans”. It covers altitudes up to 18,000 feet and will be in effect until April 12.

On Tuesday morning, the north’s ‘transport ministry’ expressed disappointment that it had been issued without the Turkish Cypriot authorities’ consent, saying that “the TRNC … is the sole authorised authority responsible for providing air traffic and aeronautical information systems within its airspace”.

The Turkish Cypriot authorities then issued their own Notam, advising “all aircraft in the region” to “take maximum precautions to ensure flight safety, carefully follow the published aeronautical information, and act in coordination with the relevant air traffic units”.

The conflict has seen the eastern Mediterranean in the field of fire, too, with Turkey’s defence ministry most recently having announced last Friday that Nato air and missile assets located in the region downed a third ballistic missile launched from Iran.

Earlier, intelligence and diplomatic sources in both Turkey and Cyprus had confirmed to the Cyprus Mail that the first missile intercepted in Turkish airspace, which was fired on March 4, had been aimed at the Incirlik airbase.

That airbase is jointly operated by the Turkish air force and that of the United States, and is located in Turkey’s southeastern Adana province.

In addition to US machinery, an array of Nato military assets have amassed in the eastern Mediterranean since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East at the beginning of the month.

France and Greece both swiftly deployed frigates to the eastern Mediterranean after Cyprus’ British Akrotiri air force base was hit by an Iranian-made drone on March 2, with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis having described one of the two frigates he sent, the Kimon, as the “pride of the Greek fleet”. 

In addition to its own frigate, France also sent the aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle to the region, while other European countries followed suit.

While Turkey itself has not yet announced the deployment of any warships to the eastern Mediterranean, it did station six F-16 fighter jets at northern Cyprus’ Ercan (Tymbou) airport, and complemented those fighter jets with Hisar-A surface-to-air missiles.

Prior to Turkey’s stationing of F-16s in Cyprus, Greece had sent four F-16s of its own to Paphos.