Battle of Omorphita

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Coordinates: 35°11′30″N 33°22′30″E / 35.19167°N 33.37500°E / 35.19167; 33.37500
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Battle of Omorphita
Part of Crisis of 1963
Date23–26 December 1963
Location
Omorphita, Cyprus
35°11′30″N 33°22′30″E / 35.19167°N 33.37500°E / 35.19167; 33.37500
Result Greek Victory
Belligerents
 Cyprus  Turkey
Commanders and leaders
Cyprus Nikos Sampson
Cyprus Georgios Olympios		 Turkey Major Nihat Ilhan
Turkey Mujahid Celal Bayar
Units involved
Nikos Sampson Teams
Greek Cypriot Volunteers

Turkish Armed Forces

Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT)
Strength
70+ 100+
Casualties and losses
  • 2+ killed
  • 3 missing
  • 92+ killed
  • 475+ injured

    • The Battle of Omorphita was an armed engagement between Greek Cypriot and Turkish–Turkish Cypriot militias and Turkish military forces in December 1963 in the Cypriot town of Omorphita, part of the crisis of 1963.[1]

    Background[edit]

    On December 21, 1963, Greek Cypriot police officers stopped two Turkish Cypriots in their vehicles near the Turkish quarter of the Nicosia city and requested they present their IDs, the two refused and soon a crowd of Turks began gathering, and two people were shot and killed.[2][3] Soon after, as news of this event began spreading, almost the entire island erupted in chaos with organizations on both sides beginning to fire and get into battle positions.[4]

    Omorphita was a majority Turkish town at the time of these events and as a result of this, at the beginning of the fighting between the two sides, they held a considerable advantage in terms of strength against the Greek Cypriots in the area.[5][6]

    Siege[edit]

    The siege began on the 23 of December 1963 when Turkish paramilitaries, mainly belonging to TMT began firing on the Greek Cypriots in the area and (later) with aid from the Cyprus Turkish Regiment, tried to overrun the Greek outposts which were being held by an officer of the Cypriot Army (Predecessor of the Cypriot National Guard), Lieutenant Giorgios Olympiou and his volunteers of around 36 men.[7][8][9]

    The Turkish attack was heavy and encircled the Greek fighters and by the evening, their ammunition was running low and as such, a message was communicated to the Greek headquarters that Olympious men were in dyre need of assistance.[10]

    Greek Cypriot counterattack[edit]

    On December 24, under the leadership of EOKA veteran Nikos Sampson, and in coordination with Lieutenant Georgios Olympiou, Sampson organised a team of around 41 men (Including himself) and they began to move towards the town to aid Olympiou and his volunteers of around 36 men.[11] There was heavy fighting on that day and by December 25–26, after the Turkish Air Force flew over the island using F-104 Starfighters and F-100 Super Sabres, the Greek paramilitaries had successfully forced the Turkish military and fighters to leave the area.[12][13][14][15]

    Aftermath[edit]

    As a result of this battle, 3 Greek Cypriots have remained missing with a few being killed.[16] On the Turkish side, more than 92 were reportedly killed and more than 475 being injured and hundreds having been held captive until a ceasefire was arranged and enacted by the British Forces in Cyprus.[17] Many Turkish Cypriots were forced to flee from the town as a result of the fighting and were unable to return.[18][19] As a result of this and other events that happened in December 1963, the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus, also known as the "Green line" began to be established in Nicosia.[20][21]

    See also[edit]

    References[edit]

    1. ^ Newsroom (2022-12-22). "Τα ματωμένα Χριστούγεννα του 1963". Φιλελεύθερος | Philenews (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    2. ^ "Cypriot Civil War 1963–1964". onwar.com. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    3. ^ "Τα Ματωμένα Χριστούγεννα του 1963 – OKOE". Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    4. ^ lila (2019-07-31). "«Μαμά μου θα πεθάνουμε και οι δύο;». Η δολοφονία της 12χρονης κύπριας στις συγκρούσεις με τους Τουρκοκυπρίους το 1963. Είχε πάει φαΐ στους στρατιώτες". ΜΗΧΑΝΗ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΟΝΟΥ (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    5. ^ "OMORFİTA". www.prio-cyprus-displacement.net. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    6. ^ Παπαναστασιου, Νικος (2014-12-27). "Τα ματωμένα Χριστούγεννα του 1963 (2)". ΝΙΚΟΣ ΠΑΠΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙΟΥ (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    7. ^ "Επιμνημόσυνος λόγος του Υπουργού Εσωτερικών κ. Νίκου Νουρή στο εθνικό μνημόσυνο για τους ήρωες της Ομορφίτας". www.pio.gov.cy. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    8. ^ Παπαναστασιου, Νικος (2014-12-27). "Τα ματωμένα Χριστούγεννα του 1963 (2)". ΝΙΚΟΣ ΠΑΠΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙΟΥ (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    9. ^ "HISTORY". UNFICYP. 2015-11-20. Retrieved 2023-11-27. In the afternoon of 24 December 1963, the Turkish national contingent, stationed in Cyprus under the Treaty of Alliance and numbering 650 officers and other ranks, left its camp and took up positions at the northern outskirts of Nicosia in the area where disturbances were taking place.
    10. ^ "Ο 106ος Λόχος του 1963–64, ο ενωτικός Τύπος και η διαρροή του «Σχεδίου Ακρίτας»". Ο 106ος Λόχος του 1963–64, ο ενωτικός Τύπος και η διαρροή του «Σχεδίου Ακρίτας». Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    11. ^ Pavlowitch, Kosta (2001-05-20). "Nicos Sampson". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    12. ^ "Kıbrıs'taki 'Kanlı Noel' saldırılarının tanıklarına göre, bu bir 'soykırım girişimi'ydi". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    13. ^ "Küçük Kaymaklı Katliamı: Bu çakma aslanlar Mehmetçiği görünce çil yavrusu gibi dağıldı". Haber7 (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    14. ^ "Military Histories – Bloody Christmas 1963". www.militaryhistories.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-27. At midday, two Turkish Airforce F-104 Starfighters overflew Nicosia at very low level. Ninety minutes later this action was repeated by three F-100 Super Sabres.
    15. ^ Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "EU and Cyprus: An Expert View Opinion of Professor M.H. Mendelson Q.C on the Application of "the Republic of Cyprus" to Join the European Union Page2 The Constitution". On 25 December 1963, Turkish jet fighters overflew the island. This enabled the Turkish army contingent, stationed pursuant to the Treaty of Alliance, to move away from the Greek contingent to a camp on the Nicosia-Kyrenia road.
    16. ^ "ΚΑΤΑΛΟΓΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΟΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΛΑΔΙΤΩΝ ΑΓΝΟΟΥΜΕΝΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΠΕΡΙΟΔΟΥ 1963–67" (PDF).
    17. ^ Yucel, Oguz (December 2021). "Can the Greek Attacks on the Turks in Cyprus between 1963–1974 be Considered Genocide?" (PDF). Rumlar, Küçük Kaymaklı'da 23 Aralık gecesi saldırıya geçerek, 92 Türkü öldürmüşler, 475 kişiyi yaralamışlardır. Bu saldırıdan sonra çok sayıda Türk'ün akıbetinden haber alınamamıştır. [The Greeks attacked Küçük Kaymaklı on the night of December 23, killing 92 Turks and wounding 475 people. After this attack, there was no news about the fate of many Turks.]
    18. ^ Bryant, Rebecca. "Displacement in Cyprus Consequences of Civil and Military Strife, Life Stories: Turkish Cypriot Community" (PDF).
    19. ^ "OMORFİTA". www.prio-cyprus-displacement.net. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    20. ^ "Δήμος Λευκωσίας – Nicosia 1963". www.nicosia.org.cy. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    21. ^ "Tracing history across Nicosia's Green Line". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
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