Leader of the Republican Turkish Party calls for preventive security measures after shooting at a gallery in Northern Cyprus

The Chairwoman of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Sıla Usar İncirli, on 7 January 2026 called for the immediate implementation of preventive security measures in Northern Cyprus following an incident involving an armed attack on a gallery, in which two gallery employees were injured.

İncirli wished the injured a speedy recovery and expressed her condolences to their families and colleagues. She noted that cases of armed attacks are becoming one of the country’s main problems and that previous warnings and calls had not received an adequate response.

The party leader emphasized that the police acted promptly and effectively at the scene, quickly detaining the alleged perpetrator, but described this as a demonstration of law enforcement work rather than a solution to a systemic problem. According to her, the next step should be a full investigation of the channels through which weapons are supplied and the connections involved in preparing the attack.

İncirli called for a fight against the economic and organizational structures that fuel armed crime, as well as for the creation of a strong and consistent political will to eliminate the sense of impunity. She stated that the government is obliged to ensure that citizens’ lives are protected by the rule of law, not overshadowed by weapons.