X-Nico

Battle of Pentemili beachhead

On the Greek side, the National Guard's High Command had noticed the inability of the 3rd Tactical Group (responsible for Kyrenia sector) to coordinate its forces and eliminate the Turkish beachhead, and gave the command of all Greek forces west and east of the beachhead to Colonel Kobokis (commander of the Greek-Cypriot Special Forces).

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Gen. Demirel, after leaving about half the Turkish force in Kyrenia to clear the town of Greek forces, ordered the rest of the force southwards to the direction of Bogaz, in order to unite the beachhead with Gönyeli enclave.

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The 316th reserve battalion from Morphou (west of the beachhead) was ordered to send the first two companies to be mobilized to Kyrenia, without knowing of the Turkish beachhead.

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At arrival, Demirel, who knew of the cease-fire agreement, which would start at 17.00, sought to begin the attack against Kyrenia immediately.

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Realizing that the road to Kyrenia was cut, the battalion assumed defensive positions.

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The elements of 251st and 306th battalions on the flank of the Turkish advance, had no ability to change the outcome of the battle, also retreated to Kyrenia.

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It initially missed the designated beach of Pentemili, and approached the unsuitable rocky beach of Glykiotissa, 3 km west of Kyrenia.

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The unit closest to the beach was the active 251st infantry battalion under Lt. Colonel Pavlos Kouroupis.

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The 33rd commando was ordered to disband and retreat in groups to Kyrenia.

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Fighting continued after the cease fire, both in the town of Kyrenia and around the beachhead.

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Objective of the landed forces was the port-town of Kyrenia, some 8 km to the east of the beach.