Egyptian raid on Larnaca International Airport

Egyptian raid on Larnaca International Airport
Date19 February 1978
Location
Larnaca International Airport, Cyprus
Result

Cypriot victory

  • diplomatic ties between Egypt and Cyprus were severed for 3 years.
Belligerents

Egypt Egypt

Cyprus

Commanders and leaders
Brigadier General Sogri Lt Colonel Andreas Ιosifides
Strength
60-75 commandos [1] [2] 65 persons - one infantry platoon from 395 Battalion (35 persons with two 0.50 M2 Brownings and two M40 A/T guns) and a commando platoon (30 persons)
Casualties and losses
15 commandos killed[3]
3 members of the C-130 crew killed
18 commandos wounded
1 C-130 aircraft destroyed
1 Jeep all-terrain vehicle destroyed		 8 injuries reported
Both hijackers surrender

On 19 February 1978, Egyptian special forces raided Larnaca International Airport near Larnaca, Cyprus, in an attempt to intervene in a hijacking. Earlier, two assassins had killed prominent Egyptian newspaper editor Yusuf Sibai and then captured as hostages several Arabs who were attending a convention in Nicosia.[3] As Cypriot forces were trying to negotiate with the hostage-takers at the airport, Egyptian troops began their own assault without authorization from the Cypriots. The unauthorized raid resulted in the Egyptians and the Cypriots exchanging gunfire, killing or injuring more than 20 of the Egyptian commandos.[3] As a result, Egypt and Cyprus severed political ties for several years after the incident.

  1. ^ "Ottawa Citizen - Google News Archive Search".
  2. ^ "Up to 15 Egyptian Commandos die Trying to Free Hostages on Jet when Cypriot Soldiers Open Fire". The New York Times. 20 February 1978.
  3. ^ a b c "1978: Egyptian forces die in Cyprus gunfight". BBC. 19 February 1978. Retrieved 2 February 2008.