1974 Cypriot coup d'état

Belligerents

Government of Cyprus

• Cypriot National Guard(factions loyal to Makarios)
• Efedriko

Pro-government militias

• Movement for Social Democracy
• Eniaion
• Progressive Party of Working People

Pro-Enosis rebels

• Cypriot National Guard(rebel factions)
• EOKA-B
• Progressive Front

Supported by:
GreeceCommanders and leadersMakarios III
Vassos Lyssarides
Pantelakis PantatzisBrigadier General Michalis Georgitsis
Colonel Konstantinos Kombokis

Nikos SampsonCasualties and losses 1,617 Cypriots missing, 300 civilians among them killed

Andreas Kestas – 20 years old, member of the Special Reserve Force, from Limassol.

Haralambos Kirillou – 19 years old, member of the Special Reserve Force, from Chloraka.

Nikos Solomou – 21 years old, member of the Special Reserve Force, from Pachyammos.

Philipos Kritiotis – 20 years old, National Guard, from Stato-Agios Fotios.

A military coup d'état was executed by the Cypriot National Guard on 15 July 1974 with Greek support. The coup plotters removed the sitting President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, from office and installed pro-Enosis nationalist Nikos Sampson. The Sampson regime was described as a puppet state, whose ultimate aim was the annexation of the island by Greece; in the short term, the coupists proclaimed the establishment of the "Hellenic Republic of Cyprus". The coup was viewed as illegal by the United Nations and led immediately to the Turkish invasion and ongoing occupation of Cyprus.