Military

UNFICYP’s troops supervise the de facto cease fire lines established in 1974 and maintain control over the buffer zone dividing the island. Despite the calm that generally has pervaded the island since 1974, UNFICYP records on average about 1,000 incidents in the buffer zone every year.

Over the years, more than 150,000 troops have served in UNFICYP. Currently, about 860 troops serve on a rotating basis. The largest troop contributors are Argentina and the United Kingdom, followed by Slovakia and Hungary.

The military presence is spread over three sectors, Sectors 1, 2 and 4. Sector 3 ceased to exist when Canada withdrew from UNFICYP in 1993 and Sectors 2 and 4 took over the territory. Following a review and troop reduction in 2004, UNFICYP troops no longer man each observation post on a permanent basis. Instead, they patrol the buffer zone on foot and by helicopter, vehicle and bicycle.

Some central units, such as UN Flight and the Mobile Force Reserve, are stationed at Headquarters in the UNPA on the outskirts of Nicosia. UN Flight operates three helicopters out of the Nicosia International Airport, which is closed to civilian air traffic. The Mobile Force Reserve guards Headquarters and can provide a rapid response to incidents within the buffer zone. It operates a fleet of armoured personnel carriers.

UNFICYP military maintains day-to-day contact with its counterparts from the opposing forces on all levels to prevent escalation of tensions within or along the buffer zone.