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{{Campaignbox Cyprus dispute}}

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict    = 
| width       = 
| partof      = 
| image       = [[File:Cyprus. UNFICYP- 1969 (8385496677).jpg|Cyprus._UNFICYP-_1969_(8385496677)|300px]]
{{Location map many | Cyprus
| width = 300
| float = left
| label = Kofinou
   | pos = left
   | marksize = 8
   | lat_deg = 34.834
   | lon_deg = 33.387
}}
| image_size  = 
| alt         =
| caption     = 
| date        = 15th November 1967
| place       = [[Kofinou]], [[Larnaca]]
| coordinates = 
| map_type    = 
| map_relief  = 
| map_size    = 
| map_marksize = 
| map_caption = 
| map_label   = 
| territory   = 
| result      = [[Cyprus|Greek]] Victory <ref>Ker-Lindsay, J. and Faustmann, H., 2009. The Government and Politics of Cyprus. Peter Lang, p.68.</ref> <ref>Landis, D. and Albert, R., n.d. Handbook of Ethnic Conflict. p.305.</ref>
*1000 People displaced from their homes
*Turkey fails to create the corridor of enclaves it had aimed to do
*One of Turkeys most important strongholds has been weakened
*[[Georgios Grivas|General Grivas]] and the 10k soldiers from the [[Hellenic Force in Cyprus|Greek division]] removed
| status      = 
| combatants_header = 
| combatant1  = {{flag|Cyprus}} 

Political backing by:
{{flag|Greece}}
| combatant2  = {{flag|Turkey}}

Political backing by:

{{flag|United Kingdom}} <br> {{flag|USA}} <br> {{flag|Canada}}
| combatant3  = 
| commander1  = [[File:Flag of Cyprus.svg|15px]] [[Makarios III| President Makarios]]<br> [[File:Flag of Cyprus.svg|15px]] [[Georgios Grivas|General George Grivas]] <br> [[File:Flag of Greece.svg|15px]] [[Georgios Papadopoulos]]
| commander2  = [[File:Flag of Turkey.svg|15px]] [[Rauf Denktaş]]<br> [[File:Flag of Turkey.svg|15px]] [[Cevdet Sunay]]<br> [[File:Flag of Turkey.svg|15px]] [[Süleyman Demirel]]
| commander3  = 
| units1      = [[File:Flag of the Cypriot National Guard General Staff.svg|15px]] [[Cypriot National Guard]]
*31st Commando Battalion
*32nd Commando Battalion
*21 EAN
[[File:Cyprus Police.svg|15px]] [[Cyprus Police]]
| units2      = [[File:Türk Mukavemet Teşkilatı.png|15px]] [[Turkish Resistance Organisation]] <br> [[File:Seal of the Turkish Armed Forces.png|15px]] [[Turkish Armed Forces]]
*[[Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command|TURDYK]]
<br> [[File:Seal of the Turkish National Intelligence.png|15px]] [[National Intelligence Organization (Turkey)]]
| units3      = 
| strength1   = 1000 (Approx.)
| strength2   = Estimated at 400
| strength3   = 
| casualties1 = 1 killed
2 injured
| casualties2 = 24 killed
9 injured
| casualties3 = 
| notes       = 
| campaignbox = 
}}
{{Campaignbox Cyprus dispute}}


==Kofinou Area and its importance==
Kofinou is a village, in the [[Larnaca District]] of [[Cyprus]]. Before the events of 1967 (Operation Gronthos), it had a majority Turkish population.<ref>https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/sena.12341</ref> Before the bypass built in the 1990s, the roads between Larnaka, Limassol and Nicosia trisected, making it of significant strategic importance to anyone that had control of it. <ref>http://www.hellenicaworld.com/Cyprus/Geo/en/Kofinou.html</ref>

==Events prior to the Operation of Kofinou==
After the [[Cypriot intercommunal violence|Crises of 1963/ 1964]], the Kofinou exclave had become a major stronghold for the Turkish-Cypriots, where-in-which they would stop oncoming traffic and at times fire upon vehicles leading to many confrontations with authorities. <ref>https://www.sansimera.gr/articles/343</ref> 

Prior to the events that happened at Kofinou, there was another Greco-Turkish conflict that had just ended which some believe led to the events of Kofinou and this was what happened at [[Evros (regional unit)|Evros]] in September of 1967 where [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]] had a meeting.<ref>https://www.kathimerini.gr/society/919635/ellinotoyrkiki-synantisi-ston-evro/</ref>

From the Spring of 1967, elements of the Cypriot National Guard had been ordered to go to the area under the pretext to prevent the Turkish forces from creating enclaves that encompassing the villages, [[Softades]], [[Kivisili]], [[Aplanta]], [[Alaminos, Cyprus|Alaminos]], [[Menogeia]], [[Kofinou]], [[Mari, Cyprus|Mari]] and [[Agios Theodoros, Larnaca|Agios Theodoros]], which if enclaves were created, would have connected them well to the sea. 
In the Summer of 1967, Turks in the area began to place obstacles at the trisection. At the orders of a Turkish Army [[Lieutenant]] who was in charge of the [[Ethnic enclave|enclave]] at Kofinou, the Turkish population in the area were told to prevent [[Cyprus Police]] patrols in the area and in some cases shots were fired at members of the Force.
Turkish Military Command in the area also proceeded to add machine gun positions from which they could (and in some cases would), fire upon oncoming vehicles. At one point, the Turks also detained members of the [[United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus]]. <ref>Αδαμου, Μ., 2019. Δεκαετια εν Οπλοις 1964-1974. 1st ed. Αμμοχωστος: Cypriot Institute of Scientific and Historic Research, p.40.</ref> <ref>https://unficyp.unmissions.org/1967-crisis</ref>

Seeing how things were playing out, [[Polycarpos Giorkatzis]], the then Minister of the Interior and Defense, requested the intervention of the [[Cypriot National Guard|National Guard]] to restore order in the area, this request, however, was turned down by [[Georgios Grivas|George Grivas]] due to the fact that he believed that with the National Guard getting involved in the matter, it could have dire consequences on [[Cyprus]], such as the removal of the Greek Division (10k soldiers) from Cyprus. <ref>Παπαγεωργιου, Σ., Επιχειρηση Κοφινου. 2nd ed.</ref>

After pressure from the [[Minister for National Defence (Greece)|Minister for National Defence]], [[Grigorios Spandidakis]], Makarios and Grivas reluctantly agreed to give an Operation the Green Light. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaDOqdCYl5o</ref> <ref>Αδαμου, Μ., 2019. Δεκαετια εν Οπλοις 1964-1974. 1st ed. Αμμοχωστος: Cypriot Institute of Scientific and Historic Research, p.41.</ref>

==Plan for the Operation==
The operation was created in order to clear the area of any Turkish resistance. To do this, there would be the use of a Commando Battalion backed by armoured elements from the 21 EAN and from the Artillery unit. On the 14th, the area was surrounded by forces from both [[Cyprus Police]] and the [[Cypriot National Guard|National Guard]]. <ref>https://www.mixanitouxronou.com.cy/stiles/sinevi-simera/i-ematiri-sigkrousi-tis-ethnikis-frouras-ke-tourkokiprion-sto-chorio-kofinou-pou-anixe-to-dromo-ston-attila-i-paremvasi-ton-amerikanon-ke-i-apofasi-tis-ellinikis-chountas-na-aposiri-tin-elliniki-mer/</ref>
The Commanders of the Operation were temporarily placed in [[Skarinou]] Police Station. <ref>Αδαμου, Μ., 2019. Δεκαετια εν Οπλοις 1964-1974. 1st ed. Αμμοχωστος: Cypriot Institute of Scientific and Historic Research, p.41.</ref>

==Operation==
On November 15 1967 at around noon, the Cyprus Police and Military patrol that was coming through was fired upon by fortified Turkish-Cypriot militants who were in the hills around the areas [[Kofinou]] and [[Agios Theodoros, Larnaca|Agios Theodoros]] and immediately the Greeks returned the fire. <ref>Αδαμου, Μ., 2019. Δεκαετια εν Οπλοις 1964-1974. 1st ed. Αμμοχωστος: Cypriot Institute of Scientific and Historic Research, p.42.</ref>
Operators from the 32nd Commando Battalion, under the Command of [[Major]] Andrea Efstathiou and with men from a Company of the 31st Commando Battalion under [[Captain]] Kostas Ioannides received orders to clear the hills where the fortified Turks were situated. <ref>https://www.psek.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=76</ref> <ref>https://www.psek.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69&Itemid=76</ref>
After a short firefight, all elements of resistance had been eliminated by the Commandos and the hills were cleared. <ref>Αδαμου, Μ., 2019. Δεκαετια εν Οπλοις 1964-1974. 1st ed. Αμμοχωστος: Cypriot Institute of Scientific and Historic Research, p.42.</ref>
On Hill 124 however, which was just west of [[Kofinou]] village, a young, 21 year old [[Sergeant]] called Evmenios Panayiotou, belonging to the 32nd Commando Battalion, was was killed in action and was the only member of the Cypriot National Guard to have been killed in the entire operation. <ref>https://www.bigcyprus.com.cy/destinations/kofinou/evmenios-panagiotou-monument-kofinou</ref>
After clearing the hills, the Commandos with [[Marmon-Herrington]] vehicles began clearing operations in the villages and specifically Kofinou, supressing any forms of resistance that was left. As a result of this operation, many arrests were made, including that of the Turkish Lieutenant who was in charge of the Turkish-Cypriot Forces, also a number of small arms and a self made anti-armour weapon, an additional 2 machineguns (Browning 0.30 cal.), some boards with plans, hunting rifles and some explosives. <ref>Αδαμου, Μ., 2019. Δεκαετια εν Οπλοις 1964-1974. 1st ed. Αμμοχωστος: Cypriot Institute of Scientific and Historic Research, p.43.</ref> <ref>Παπαγεωργιου, Σ., Επιχειρηση Κοφινου. 2nd ed.</ref>
Alongside the 1 Operator who was killed, the Greek side also had 2 injuries. 24 Turkish-Cypriots had been killed in the operation with an additional 9 being injured. <ref>https://www.mixanitouxronou.com.cy/stiles/sinevi-simera/i-ematiri-sigkrousi-tis-ethnikis-frouras-ke-tourkokiprion-sto-chorio-kofinou-pou-anixe-to-dromo-ston-attila-i-paremvasi-ton-amerikanon-ke-i-apofasi-tis-ellinikis-chountas-na-aposiri-tin-elliniki-mer/</ref>

==Consequences of the Operation==
The following day, under order from the Greek Government, the Cypriot National Guard was forced to retreat from the area and after they had returned to their bases, aircraft from the [[Turkish Air Force]] began bombing areas in Cyprus and the [[Turkish Navy]] entered Cypriot waters. <ref>Αδαμου, Μ., 2019. Δεκαετια εν Οπλοις 1964-1974. 1st ed. Αμμοχωστος: Cypriot Institute of Scientific and Historic Research, p.43.</ref> Police patrols had also been toned down due to the success of the operation and to allow the area to calm down. <ref>Αδαμου, Μ., 2019. Δεκαετια εν Οπλοις 1964-1974. 1st ed. Αμμοχωστος: Cypriot Institute of Scientific and Historic Research, p.43.</ref>

As a result of the operation, what [[Georgios Grivas|Grivas]] had originally feared, happened; [[Turkey]] demanded a withdrawal of the 10,000 Greek Soldiers from the [[Hellenic Force in Cyprus]] <ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1967/12/04/archives/greeks-and-turks-accept-thant-plea-in-cyprus-confrontation.html?searchResultPosition=4</ref> which exceeded the numbers allowed in the [[Treaty of Guarantee (1960)|Treaty of Guarantee]] and also the removal of [[General]] [[Georgios Grivas|George Grivas]] <ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1967/11/19/archives/greece-recalls-grivas-from-cyprus-turkish-jets-over-cyprus-pullout.html?searchResultPosition=1</ref> from the island, or it would face invasion, something which although the Greek and Cyprus government agreed to do, Turkey would still proceed to invade the island in 1974. <ref>http://www.revistadeestudosinternacionais.com/uepb/index.php/rei/article/viewFile/291/pdf</ref>

The operation has come under a lot of scrutiny even over the last few years by many people on both sides (Greek and Turkish) and even from other parties, this is due to the fact that though Cyprus did have the right to to respond to the Turkish provocations in the area and to get rid of the Turkish extremists of [[Turkish Resistance Organisation|TMT]], it lost a lot of support because of the sheer force used to retake the area and the accusations that had come from the Turkish side about violence against civilians. It has been described by Mr. Hadjidimitriou as a Cypriot version of [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|WMD Iraq]] <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaDOqdCYl5o</ref> <ref>Αδαμου, Μ., 2019. Δεκαετια εν Οπλοις 1964-1974. 1st ed. Αμμοχωστος: Cypriot Institute of Scientific and Historic Research, p.43.</ref>

== References ==
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{{reflist}}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlhvyVX4mCc
{{Cyprus dispute}}