Presidency's Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun commemorated Pilot Captain Cengiz Topel with mercy and gratitude. Topel was the first air force martyr in the history of the Republic, who was martyred in 1964 as a result of the downing of his plane by the Greek Cypriots during the flight of the Turkish Air Forces in Cyprus.
Altun shared the video prepared by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications about Cengiz Topel on his Twitter account. The video pointed out that after the foundation of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960, the persecution and oppression against the Turkish people on the island increased and that the only hope for the Turks encircled by the Greek Cypriots was assistance from Türkiye.
According to the video, the flight group led by Cengiz Topel took off from Eskişehir and arrived in Erenköy, but Topel's aircraft was damaged by incoming fire while ascending after successfully hitting its target. The video stated that Topel, who jumped with a parachute at the last moment, was taken prisoner by the Greek Cypriots, where he died as a result of terrible torture.
The video emphasized that all streets, parks, schools, and hospitals bearing the name Topel were indications of the Turkish nation's unending respect for Captain Topel.