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Born in 1924, Rauf Denktaş was a prominent Turkish Cypriot politician who played a pivotal role in the history of Cyprus. He served as the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community from 1973 to 2005 and was the first president of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Throughout his political career, Denktaş advocated for the rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots and sought self-determination for the Turkish Cypriot community.