Cyprus

Capital:Nicosia

Modern Historical

Independence from the U.K. on 16 August 1960 (except the British “Sovereign Base Areas” at Akrotiri and Ohekelia)

Ethnic conflict on Cyprus from 1963-1964

Turkish military forces invade northern Cyprus in 1974 to protect ethnic Turkish Cypriots from ethnic Greek Cypriot violence.

EOKA (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agonoston) National Organization of Cypriot Fighters

1955-1959

A Greek Cypriot nationalist resistance organization that fought against British rule. Enjoyed the support of the majority of Greek Cypriots. Anti-colonialists. Fought for the independence of Cyprus from British forces. Also sought enosis (union) with Greece. The military wing of the EOKA was led by Colonel Georgis Grivas (nom de guerre “Digenis”), who was also one of the founding members of the organization. Grivas was also a veteran of World War 1, World War 2, and the Greek Civil War.

Grigoris Afxentiou was the second in command of the EOKA. Died heroically in battle. Set on fire by British forces with gasoline poured into his fighting position.

Received some money and weapons from Greece.

The EOKA formed Shotgun Commando Groups (OKT).

Able to recruit members of the Cyprus police to be used as agents and informants.

Got dynamite from fishermen who used dynamite to fish.

Surplus shells dumped in the sea by the British Army at the end of World War 2.

Shotguns (Many of which were sawed off)

Sten sub-machine guns

Bren machine guns

Afxentiou Cocktails

Improvised pistols (One crude type had a barrel that was made from a used 20mm shell casing)

Improvised mortars

EOKA-B

1971-1974

When the newly independent government of began to retract on the issue of union with Greece, General Georgis Grivas returned in 1971 to form the EOKA-B. General Grivas was an anti-communist military commander during the Greek Civil War and one of the founders of the EOKA in the early 1950's. General Grivas died from a heart attack in January of 1974. After a coup d' tat against Cypriot president Makarios and the following Turkish invasion of Northern Cyprus on 20 July 1974, the EOKA-B slowly dissolved.

Greek military forces in Cyprus
Hellenic Force in Cyprus (ELDYK)

Turkish military forces in Northern Cyprus
Cyprus Turkish Peace Force (KTBK)

British military forces on Cyprus

2 British base areas on Cyprus at Dhekelia and Akrotiri
Approximately 3,500 personnel

United Nations forces in Cyprus

U.N. Buffer zone between Cyprus and Northern Cyprus. Called the “Green Line”.

Cypriot National Guard

12,000 active duty personnel

750 paramilitary personnel

75,000 reserve personnel

Cyprus Air Command
PC-9 trainer/light attack aircraft (1)

Britten-Norman BN2B aircraft (1)
Britten-Norman BN2T aircraft (1)

Mi-35 Hind attack helicopters (11)

SA.342 Gazelle helicopters (4)

Bell 206 helicopters (2)

AW-139 (3)

449^th anti-tank helicopter squadron

450^th attack helicopter squadron

Hermes 450 unmanned aerial vehicles?

Cyprus Navy

4 fast patrol craft

2 fast attack craft

3 logistics vessels

Coastal fired MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles

Underwater Demolitions Unit (OYK)

T-80U tanks (82)

AMX-30B2 tanks (54)

AMX-30 tanks (50)

BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles (43)

EE-9 infantry fighting vehicles (54)

VAB-VCI infantry fighting vehicles (27)

Leonidas 1/2 armored personnel carriers (168)

VAB armored personnel carriers (126)

EE-3 with MILAN anti-tank missiles (15)

VCAC- 6x6 wheeled VAB with HOT anti-tank missiles (18)

BM-21 122mm multiple rocket launchers (18)

M-63 Plamen 128mm multiple rocket launchers (18)

ZUZANA self propelled 155mm howitzers. Basically a ShKH-77 DANA with a 155mm gun. (12)

Mk F3 self propelled 155mm howitzers (12)

TRF-1 towed 155mm howitzers (12)

Oto Melara Mod 56 towed 105mm howitzers (72)

M1944 towed 105mm howitzers (20)

9M133 Kornet (AT-14 Spriggan) anti-tank guided missiles
9M119M Refleks (AT-11 Sniper) anti-tank guided missiles used with T-80U tanks
9M117 Bastion (AT-10 Stabber) anti-tank guided missiles used with BMP-3
MILAN anti-tank guided missiles
HOT anti-tank guided missiles used with Gazelle helicopters and VAB-VCAC
9M120 Ataka (AT-9 Spiral-2) anti-tank guided missiles used on Mi-35 helicopters?
9K114 Shturm (AT-6 Spiral) anti-tank guided missiles used on Mi-35 helicopters?

APILAS anti-tank rocket launchers
RPG-7 anti-tank rocket launchers

LAW light anti-tank rocket launchers
M40 recoilless rifles
SPG-9 recoilless rifles
M67 recoilless rifles

MG3 machine guns
HK11 light machine guns

AK-101 assault rifles

G3 assault rifles
AK-47 assault rifles
AK-74 assault rifles
Zastava M70 assault rifle
Vz. 58 assault rifle
FN P90 (Used by Special Forces)
Glock 17 pistols
FN Five-Seven pistols
HK USP pistols

Zastava M57 pistols (Yugoslavian made TT-33 pistol)

Air Defense

TOR-M1 surface-to-air missiles

Aspide surface-to-air missiles

Mistral surface-to-air missiles

SA-7 shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles
Bofors L/60 towed 40mm anti-aircraft guns
Oerlikon GDF-005 towed 35mm anti-aircraft guns
ZU-23 towed 23mm anti-aircraft guns
M55 towed triple barrel 20mm anti-aircraft guns?
M55 towed quadruple barrel .50 cal anti-aircraft guns?

The Cypriot S-300PMU surface-to-air missiles were transferred to the Greek island of Crete in 1998.

Special Forces (LOK)