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Cyprus The Turkish Military Intervention, July-August 1974
Citing the Treaty of Guarantee as the basis for its
action,
Turkey launched its seaborne assault west of Kyrenia on
July 20,
1974. About 6,000 men participated in the landing force,
which was
followed shortly afterwards by about 1,000 paratroopers
dropped
north of Nicosia. Turkish Cypriot irregulars joined the
Turkish
regulars in both areas, but they faced fierce opposition
from the
National Guard. Kyrenia did not come under Turkish control
until
heavy sea and air bombardment drove out Greek Cypriot
troops on the
third day of fighting. Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot enclaves
throughout the southern part of the island fell to Greek
Cypriot
forces. Only in Nicosia was the Turkish Cypriot enclave
successfully defended by TMT irregulars, with the aid of
the
Turkish Air Force.
When a UN-imposed cease-fire took effect on July 22,
Turkish
troops held a triangular area in northern Cyprus with
Kyrenia in
the center of its base along the coast and northern
Nicosia at its
apex. Clear Turkish superiority in personnel and equipment
deterred
Greek leaders from intervening. Nearly half the Turkish
Cypriot
population lay outside the occupied area, in enclaves now
controlled by the National Guard. During the next three
weeks,
while foreign ministers from Britain, Greece, and Turkey
met in
Geneva, Turkish troops continued to seize control of areas
outside
the cease-fire lines, broadening the triangle under their
occupation. Their troop strength was augmented through the
Kyrenia
bridgehead to some 40,000 soldiers and 200 tanks.
On August 14, immediately on the breakup of the second
round of
Geneva talks, two divisions of the Turkish Army advanced
beyond
their cease-fire positions. During the three-day
offensive, Greek
Cypriot resistance crumpled under heavy air, armor, and
artillery
bombardment. Civilians, alarmed by reports of atrocities
during the
first Turkish campaign, fled ahead of the advancing
troops, who
proceeded unimpeded through much of northern Cyprus. By
August 16,
the Turkish advance had reached the predetermined "Attila
Line,"
behind which troops occupied 37 percent of Cypriot
territory, and
Turkey ordered a cease-fire
(see
fig. 1, Administrative
Divisions,
1991). Although authoritative figures on casualties were
not
published, it was estimated that Greek Cypriot forces
suffered
6,000 casualties, while Turkish-led forces lost 1,500 dead
and
2,000 wounded.
Data as of January 1991
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