CYPRUS  - 1974 -  PHOTO ARCHIVE

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1974 Turkish Invasion Against CYPRUS

-July 20, 1974-

Time: 04:35, Saturday 20 July 1974. The graphic and most beautiful ancient Greek town of Kyrenia as it was seen by the Turkish pilots the morning of 20 July 1974 when the air-raids of the Turkish air-force against Cyprus began. Bombings were more intense on the northern shores of Cyprus and around the "Pente Mili" (five miles west of the town of Kyrenia) area where all the landings took place. Click the photo for enlargement.

The Turkish army began its invasion with deployment of their forces at "Pente Mili" (Five Mile Point) west of the town of Kyrenia unloading heavy materials, tanks, artillery units and troops. The landings took place at the most difficult spot, since the waters there are very deep, and allowing only a narrow stretch where only 2 cargo ships could land at a time. The attack and invasion was planned years before, taking all these considerations into account. Turkish air-force and Turkish NAVY overwhelmed the forces of the Cyprus National Guard inflicting constant air-raids and heavy naval coastal bombardments.

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Turkish invasion had three main objectives:
1. To land as much personnel and material on Kyrenia shores and create a stronghold pocket.
2. To drop paratroopers inside the Turkish enclaves of Nicosia-Agyrta.
3. To weaken the National Guard of Cyprus by intense air-raids with Napalm bombs, and prevent them from deploying any serious resistance.

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At 05:30 Saturday 20 July 1974 the Turkish air-force bombed and destroyed the 256 Infantry Regiment of the Cyprus National Guard at Glykiotissa, the 190 Light Artillery Regiment at Acheropoiitos Greek Orthodox Monastery, the 182 Heavy Artillery Regiment of Bosporos, as well as all the military installations along the Kyrenia northern coastline at Panagra. The Turks managed to unload enough material and personnel on the shore. The Turkish invasion and the nightmare of the Greek-Cypriots just began.

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Turkish (NATO American-made and supplied) T-47 tank gets on shore at "Pente Mili" beach in Kyrenia. The Turks landed heavy military hardware, tanks, artillery, ammunitions, ALL NATO American made, and in violation to all treaties on the purpose for using them.

The Turkish Soldiers had been issued with the G3 Automatic Assault Rifle .762 NATO, while the Greek Cypriots of the Cyprus National Guard were issued the "ancient"  Mauser 1899 bolt action rifle. Despite their heroism they were both betrayed, as well as outnumbered and outgunned.

Every move from the Cyprus National Guard was met with fierce Napalm bombings by the Turkish Air-force.

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The Turkish Army attacked Cyprus with full force. Turkish paratroopers were dropped on the Turkish enclaves in Nicosia - Agyrta. This re-enforcement was made again with American-made Bell helicopters similar to those used in Viet-Nam as you can see in the picture on the right.

The National Guard of Cyprus had some more luck with these forces, thus managing to extinguish the first waves of attacks, but eventually its forces were reduced considerably by the constant napalm bombings of the Turkish Air-force. 

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Turkish paratroopers waving their flag after being dropped inside the Nicosia-Agyrta enclave.

Please notice the heavy equipment each soldier is carrying during this unprovoked and terrorist attack of the Turkish State against the defenseless  island nation of Cyprus.

The first waves of these attacks suffered substantial losses due to the immediate reaction of the ELDYK (Hellenic Force of Cyprus) and the Cyprus National Guard in accordance to the Cyprus defence plan.

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Dramatic photograph of one of the counter-offensives of the ELDYK (Hellenic Force of Cyprus) against Turkish positions in the Nicosia-Agyrta enclave.

ELDYK proved to be the most efficient and best organized military unit for the defence of Cyprus, inflicting paramount losses on the Turkish invaders estimated to 2,000 dead men. (Note: ELDYK was comprised of only 450 newly recruited men, that had just arrived in Cyprus. They were armed with light semi-automatic infantry weapons M1 carbines, and with absolutely no support from artillery, tanks, nor any other mechanized means to assist them wage warfare.

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Turkish tank T-47 (NATO American-made) in flames after been hit by a 106mm anti-tank artillery unit of the Cyprus National Guard somewhere on Mount Pentadactylos. The Turkish invasion forces suffered considerable damage during the first phase of the Turkish invasion code-named ATTILA 1.

The Turkish Army, despite its huge superiority in navy, ground forces, and especially in Air Superiority, was totally unorganized. Prove of this was the fact that they mistakenly perceived the Greek Navy's Cargo Ship as a "Greek Armada" heading towards Cyprus and as a result they sunk their own flag ship Kotzatepe, and seriously damaged two other of their destroyers sailing at the area outside Paphos.

The Turkish General responsible for the Invasion (later killed by forces of the Cyprus National Guard) also confirmed that he maintained virtually no communication between Turkish units at any level. Their advantages were their massive numbers (40,000 men compared to 5,000) and superior firepower.

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Captured Turkish tank T-47 is driven back to the battle by a Greek tank crew. Despite their huge advantage in numbers, military materials, and in logistical support, the Turkish soldiers gained a reputation for being cowards at the battlefield, especially when facing some formidable resistance by the Cyprus National Guard.

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Turkish soldiers pray for their dead. The 1974 invasion against Cyprus had cost Turkey more than 3,000 dead soldiers, 14 military planes, and 1 warship. The war-ship Kotzatepe was the flagship of the Turkish navy at the time, and was sunk by the Turkish air-force by mistake.

Large proportions of the Turkish army, and especially the lower ranks of soldiers opposing the Turkish government and were sent to Cyprus to die anyway so that the Turkish government gets rid of them the easy way. Evidently, these soldiers were administered with drugs such as hashish to get them high in in many instances they were marching in front of the Greek positions and towards their death fully equipped and loaded with ammo but with their rifles hanging over their shoulders!

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The Turkish invasion of Cyprus had the objective of "takism" in other words the Ethnic Cleansing and final separation of the two communities (Greek and Turkish Cypriots). In order to achieve this objective the Turkish air-force was systematically bombing civilian targets in order to spread panic and force the civilians to flee from the towns onto the mountains. No Greek Cypriot ever left their homes in the occupied areas of Cyprus with their own will, and they will always struggle to return and settle back in their ancestors lands.

This photo was taken in the town of Famagusta, which is today a ghost town between the Cyprus government controlled area, and the occupied areas occupied ILLEGALLY by the Turkish army since 1974.

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The turkish air force merciless napalm bombings included numerous non-military targets inter alia hospitals, schools, hotels, elderly-houses, psychiatric clinics, Greek Orthodox monasteries, etc. On the photo you can see the results of one of these air-raids at the hospital of the town of Famagusta. The unfortunate patient lost his life under several tons of concrete, that crashed him after one of these cruel, barbaric, and unlawful Turkish air-raids.

The Turkish invasion against Cyprus caused 6,000 people killed which in USA proportions equivalents to 3,600,000 (three million six hundred thousand) people killed in a period of 25 days! You can now better see the devastating consequences the Turkish invasion had and still has on Cyprus.

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Cruel and bloody battles were carried out in neighborhoods of capital Nicosia which is today a divided city - the only divided city.

The Turkish forces managed to penetrate in the city of Nicosia mainly due to the intense and continuous air-raids and bombings against Cyprus National Guard positions by the Turkish air force.

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The Melconian Armenian School in Nicosia. It was and still is the biggest Armenian school in Cyprus and comprises of a Kindergarten, an Elementary School, a 6-year High School, as well as dormitories for children from other countries.

Although a clearly non-military target, the Melconian School is also turned into rubble and ruins during the 1974 Turkish invasion by the Turkish air force.

In the photo on the left you can see the burnt beds of the Dormitory of the Melconian Armenian School in Cyprus.

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The Turkish barbarism was once more revealed after the very first Turkish air raids. NAPALM arson bombs were the standard-issue weapon-of-choice of the Turkish air force that used them widely to cause havoc and panic inside the population of Cyprus. The usage of these bombs had tremendous results. The cost was great in both human lives as well as in the infrastructure and the forests of Cyprus. In this photo on the right, one Greek-Cypriot, victim of NAPALM bombs, while receiving treatment in a hospital.

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Note: Parental guidance is advisable for viewers younger than 13years old.

Burned to death victims of NAPALM arson bombs of the Turkish air force. NAPALM bombs were used during the bombings of military installations of the Cyprus National Guard, such as the military camps of Athalassa in Nicosia.

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In the photo on the right you can see the terrifying results from the burnings caused by NAPALM bombs of the Turkish air-force. The use of these bombs is a normal phenomenon by the barbarian Turks. The usage of these bombs has been prohibited due to the cruel death that inflicts upon its victim. Nevertheless the Turks still use them even today.

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The Turkish air force continued its systematic bombardment of non-military targets. These were civilian targets, such as villages, towns, hospitals, elderly houses, clinics, water tanks, power stations etcetera. This was done in order to spread terror amongst the public, force them to flee their homes and run for their lives, and consequently better facilitate the ethnic cleansing committed against the Greek and Turkish Cypriots in 1974. This Ethnic cleansing is continued even today by not allowing the return of ALL 200,000 GREEK-CYPRIOT REFUGEES back to their homes. This photo was taken at Yerolakkos village. You can see a huge crater caused by a 2000 pounds bomb.

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The photo on the left was taken inside a Turkish navy cargo ship bound to Adana, Turkey, full with Greek Cypriots POW (Prisoners Of War). These prisoners were transported to Turkey and many of them NEVER returned back. The conditions of their captivity was inhumane, with torture and death in many occasions. A total of 1619 persons were reported missing as a result of the Turkish invasion against Cyprus in 1974. Turkey is still denying to provide ANY information for their fortune. 

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The Turks showed no respect, and no appreciation for anybody. Not even sacred men of the cloth, i.e. Greek Orthodox priests and monks. None were saved from the wrath and hatred of the Turks against the small island nation of Cyprus. In the photo on the right a Greek Cypriot priest is dragged inside a Turkish ship by two Turkish solders with his hands tight-up behind his back, and his eyes blindfolded. The destination was the Turkish port of Adana, where many prisoners suffered tremendous tortures and even death.

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