Battle of Nicosia Airport
1974 battle / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nicosia International Airport (Greek: Διεθνές Αεροδρόμιο Λευκωσίας) was Cyprus' main airport[6] before the Turkish invasion.It is 5 km as the crow flies west of the Cypriot Presidential Palace. The longest runway is 2.7km.[7] It was very strategically important as a major transport route for the island.[3]
Battle of Nicosia Airport | |||||||
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Part of Turkish Invasion of Cyprus | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Units involved | |||||||
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Turkish Air Force
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Strength | |||||||
Around 300 | |||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown though heavy casualties reported[4][5] |
After the coup on 15 July 1974, Turkey using the justification of the power it thought it had via the Treaty of Guarantee[8] to launch an invasion on the 20 July 1974.[9][10] It began in the early hours of 20 July 1974 with Turkish paratroopers being dropped in the Capital of Nicosia mainly into the Turkish enclave of Kioneli and with an amphibious landing in Kyrenia supported by heavy airstrikes from the Turkish Air Force.[11]