| Conflict: | Battle of Nicosia Airport |
| Partof: | Turkish Invasion of Cyprus |
| Date: | 20–23 July 1974 |
| Place: | Nicosia |
| Territory: | UN takes control of the airport after a successful Greek-Cypriot defence[1] |
| Result: | Greek victory[2] |
| Combatant1: |  Greece Cyprus |
| Combatant2: |  Turkey Turkish Cypriot Paramilitaries |
| Commander1: | Brigadier Giorgos Papameletiou Colonel George Azinas Lieutenant Christos Kotsalis |
| Commander2: | Colonel Eşref Bitlis |
| Units1: | Hellenic Army
|
| Units2: | Turkish Land Forces
Turkish Air Force United Nations |
| Strength1: | Unnkown |
| Strength2: | 1000+ [3] |
| Casualties1: | 1 Dead, 2 wounded |
| Casualties2: | Unknown though heavy casualties reported[4] [5] |
The Battle of Nicosia International Airport (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Μάχη του Αεροδρομίου Λευκωσίας, Turkish: Lefkoşa Uluslararası Havalimanı Savaşı ) was a significant battle during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. The battle took place at Nicosia International Airport, which was Cyprus' main airport and a crucial transport hub located 5 km west of the Cypriot Presidential Palace.[6]
See main article: Turkish invasion of Cyprus. On the 15th of July 1974, a coup d'état was orchestrated by the Greek military junta in Athens, aiming to unite Cyprus with Greece (Enosis).[7] The coup led to the overthrow of President Archbishop Makarios III and the installation of a pro-Enosis government under Nikos Sampson.[8] [9] In response to the coup, Turkey cited its rights as a guarantor power under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee to intervene militarily. On 20 July 1974, Turkey launched an invasion of Cyprus, justified by the need to protect the Turkish Cypriot community, capturing 3% of the island before a ceasefire was declared. The Greek military junta collapsed and was replaced by a civilian government. Following the breakdown of peace talks, Turkish forces enlarged their original beachhead in August 1974 resulting in the capture of approximately 36% of the island.
The 32nd Strike Company of the 33MK Commando was ordered to make a perimeter around Nicosia Airport.[10]
The Turkish Invasion of Cyprus began, Turkish troops began landing on Kyrenia, and bombings began on the airport by the Turkish Air Force[10]
On the morning of 21 July, the airport's runway was targeted by the Turkish air force.[11] After one day of fighting in Cyprus, some Generals of the Junta in Athens decided to send the 1st Commando Squadron, based in Maleme, Crete, and commanded by Brigadier General George Papameletiou, to reinforce the National Guard. The operation received the code name "NIKI".[12] and at 22:35, 15 Noratlas aircraft took off from Souda airport but for alleged technical reasons, only 13 of the 15 arrived in Cyprus with the other 2 having landed either in Crete or Rhodes.
The first ceasefire was agreed upon and was to take effect from 16:00 on 22 July, but before it started, the Turkish Air Force bombed the airport and destroyed some parts of the runway.[11] At 16:00 as the ceasefire began, 33MK received information that the Turks were preparing for a surprise counterattack to take the airport and therefore took the necessary protective measures without reinforcements.[10]
At about 16:45 after the ceasefire, the Turkish Air Force with 6 Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and 2 F-100 Super Sabre aircraft started bombing the airport and destroyed a Trident aircraft of Cyprus Airlines.
On the morning of 23 July, the ground attack against the airport began, but this time, with the active engagement of the 41st Strike Company of the Greek A' Commando[13]
The Greek A Commando (35MK Commando) Force, which had arrived a couple of days earlier with a battalion force of three commando LOK companies (41, 42, 43 LOK) was transported immediately to Nicosia International Airport to defend it from the attack by Turkish forces moving through the Kyrenia-Nicosia bridgehead. The airport was also defended by a company of ELDYK infantry and a company of Airport paramilitary police, the latter equipped with anti-tank weapons and five M8 Greyhound armoured vehicles.[14]
The forces of A Commando arrived at Nicosia Airport to mount a defence. They assumed fighting positions in and around the main terminal building, as a convoy of Turkish vehicles arrived at the north end of the airport, about 500 metres from the defenders. The main plan was to cooperate with the Greek Cypriot LOK in deploying several machine guns and anti-tank weapons (the Greeks had three 90mm EM69s), and allow the Turkish force to advance into the path of overlapping fire. However, the Turkish advance units spotted some of the enemy positions and commenced a general attack from the north.
At 11:00. a land battle began with Turkish M47 Patton Tanks and 81 mm mortars. started hitting Greek positions. As the 3rd Strike Company was reinforcing the battle, they came under heavy fire from the Turks, and Brigadier Generals Avradmidis and Kyriakos were injured and fell into a ditch. However, under heavy Turkish gunfire, they managed to escape from the area with the help of the Greek commandos. During their evacuation, Turkish tanks started moving westward, trying to cover the Turkish infantrymen coming from the north, trying to outflank them with a reverse "L" manoeuvre.[15] The car of Major Papameletiou was also hit and immobilized a few meters near the gates of the airport with Papameletiou taking fire from Turkish and UNFICYP positions, but he was eventually relieved with the help of a National Guard BTR vehicle but in the end, a commando was gravely wounded.[13]
By the afternoon, the attacks were repelled by the defending forces with the Turkish forces making a hasty retreat, citing heavy casualties.[16] [17] [18] [19]
Following the battle, the airport was placed under the control of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and declared a United Nations Protected Area. This intervention helped prevent further escalation of the conflict in the immediate vicinity of the airport. The airport is still under the control of UNFICYP forces, and is currently part of the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus (also known as the Green Line).
The closure of Nicosia International Airport to commercial flights marked the end of its operation as the main aviation hub of Cyprus. Consequently, the Republic of Cyprus had to establish a new international gateway, leading to the development and expansion of Larnaca International Airport and Paphos International Airport to handle the island's air traffic needs.