Kokkina
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Kokkina |
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 Kokkina
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| Coordinates: 35°10′45″N 32°36′42″E / 35.17917°N 32.61167°ECoordinates: 35°10′45″N 32°36′42″E / 35.17917°N 32.61167°E | |
| Country |
 Cyprus
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| • District | Nicosia District |
| Country (controlled by) |
 Northern Cyprus
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| • District | Lefke District |
Kokkina (Greek: Κόκκινα [locally [ˈkot͡ʃina]]; Turkish: Erenköy or Koççina) is a coastal exclave of the de facto Northern Cyprus, and a former Turkish Cypriot village and enclave in Cyprus. It is surrounded by mountainous territory, with the Morphou Bay on its northern flank. Kokkina sits several kilometres west of the Northern Cyprus mainland and is a place with symbolic significance to Turkish Cypriots, because of the events of August 1964 (cf. Battle of Tillyria). In 1976, all Kokkina inhabitants were transferred to Gialousa and the exclave has since functioned as a Turkish Army military camp.
The Tylliria/Dillirga region, where Kokkina is situated, had been a place of intense confrontation between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities during the inter-communal struggle of 1963–1964. On 4 April 1964, armed groups originating from both communities had fought over a strategic location overlooking the region's only highway. There had also been several sporadic incidents of gunfire between villages of the region. On 8 April 1964, the United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) managed to arrange a ceasefire which was enforced by stationing UNFICYP troops at several critical points.
The government of the Republic of Cyprus viewed Kokkina as a point of insertion for Turkish paramilitaries and weaponry in Cyprus because about 500 Turkish Cypriot volunteers who had been trained and armed in Turkey had landed there. So, on 6 August 1964, elements of the Greek Cypriot National Guard and Greek Army units led by General George Grivas attacked the area around Kokkina and surrounded the village forcing its defenders and the civilian population to retreat to a narrow beachhead. The defenders consisted of elements of the Turkish Resistance Organization and a number of the volunteers mentioned above. A heavy artillery barrage (with naval support) of the beachhead followed causing a number of casualties and heavy damage to the village.
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Wikipedia