The UNFICYP (United Nations Peacekeeping force in Cyprus) mission was established due to the outbreak of violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities following a number of constitutional crises after the Republic of Cyprus became an independent state in 1960. Two Irish battalions and a series of Infantry groups have served with the mission since April 1964 up to October 1973 when the 25th infantry group were transferred to UNEF II (United Nations Emergency Force) in the Sinai to assist with the supervision of the ceasefire between Egypt and Israel until July 1974. The UNFICYP mission itself evolved following the coup d’état in summer 1974 and the resultant ceasefire and buffer zone creation, and Irish Officers and NCOs continued to serve with the mission staff up to 2005.
