History Repeats Itself

On August 15, 1974 Turkish armoured troops advanced across the planes towards Famagusta. The Greek Cypriots evacuated the Varosha district and fled south. Outside Old City and in the harbour, Turk Cypriot militia was engaged in combat with retreating units of the Greek Cypriot army. The Turkish air force bombed Greek Cypriot positions in Famagusta. In the evening the Turkish armoured troops had reached the North Gate of Old City and joined the city's defenders. Old City had escaped from a 26 days long siege. At midnight the last Greek Cypriot troops left Famagusta. The Turkish army had repeated what their Ottoman predecessors had accomplished 403 years before.