Cybex-24 was mentioned as Cyprus bufferzone expedition in 2024. However twice was asked for permission to enter the bufferzone, we were not allowed.
Cybex-24 went to be the Cyprus border expedition.

Please read more and find out all about what, where we went, saw and did.

Cyprus just is a marvelous isle with a history of thousend+ of years, going back even BC

But it was for many years accupied, by Assyriens, Egyptians and Persians.
Since 286 Cyprus became part of the East Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire). At about 1473 the Isle became under power of Venice. In those years the walls of Nicosia were build.

In 1539 the Ottomans destroyed Limassol and so fearing the worst, the Venetians fortified Famagusta and Kyrenia.
Lot of things happened during the years untill the British take over the isle in 1878.

Before 1960, under British occupation the population on the isle was 77% Greek - and 18% Turkisch Cypriotic.

About 1960 independance for Cyprus was granted in Zürich and London agreements. Officially it was on 16 august 1960!

UK retained the two Sovereign base areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, which are still (2024) UK entity, controlled by SBA police and SBA customs [and IBRG did experience that: keep reading!

Since 1964 (allready 60 years) Unitied Nations is controlling some areas on Cyprus.
Around 1963 there was some struggle and even in 1964 UN started the so called Green line (Bufferzone) previously in Nicosia.

In 1974 it all escolated while the Greek and the Turks began a military fight.
Since than 4 entitys rules over theit borders and that is what we sa at the IBRG expedition Cybex-2024.

The mentioned entityties are:
- Greek Cyprus (the Republic of Cyprus)

- Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

- UN Bufferzone

- Souvereign base area (SBA) (UK)

IBRG did see all of these, explored the borders, found bordermarkers.

The 'yellow car'

It's a yellow car and an old door. The sign says so. Jacques Lacarriere had the story of this place in his book "Nicosia - the buffer zone". He said that this car was left there during the war and it became a target for both the turkish and the cypriot army (in the north and in the south).

The UNFICYP then left the car there, as it was used to name the place. The UN guardhouse in that corner was called "the yellow car guardhouse".

The car can be seen from the carpark at Alexiou Komninou street, behind the Greek militarypost.

Nicosia

Bordercrossing Ledrastreet

It's about 11:00 hrs and 31º when we entered Ledrastreet where the footbordercrossing is. We decide to cross and have a drink on TRNC-side of Nicosia.

Nicosia

After the refreshments we walk back and cross the border again to the Greek Cyprioticside.

Directly at the crossing we turn left and we pass coffeehouse Yiayia Victoria, Ledra St. The bufferzoneborder over their terrac

Nicosia

The blue tractor

At Tritonusstreet we are lucky. Through a view through the wall we see the sign of the Blue Tractor.

At that moment there is a UN blue beret/helmet check, just at the Blue tractor spot.

The story:

Each side used certain features of the Buffer Zone to demarcate different sectors. One of these landmarks was a blue tractor left behind during the fighting in 1974. After 11 years of negotiating its return, the Greek owner was allowed into the Buffer Zone for 24 hours to recover his property. He had to be alone, he couldn't use any other vehicle and the tractor had to be driven out. After 16 hours of work, the tractor was started and driven out to the Greek side. The UN had to replace the blue tractor which they did with a plastic one purchased from a local toyshop.

Nicosia

Ledra Palace crossing

Zahra Sk crossing

After being refreshed at Castelli hotel, we started an evening walk to Ledra Palace with the checkpoint out of RoC at Markou Drakoustreet, through the bufferzone to the crossing at Zahra Sk into TRNC.

Here in North Cyprus we had dinner.

We went to Kokkina by first passing

the border crossing into the UN-bufferzone at Astromeritis (F928), into TRNC at border crossing Zodia, while passing UN station 32.

From here we drove among the coast to Limnitis checkpoint where we left TRNC and entered the UN-bufferzone, passed UN-camp 03. Here we drove to Limnits border crossing (Kato Pyrgos), where we entered Cyprus again.

All the way among the coast we see (observation) posts of Greek - and Turkish Cypriotics and UN.

We stop over at Mansoura at UN-post 05 and opposite a Greek Cypriotic post. Here we are forced to leave, making pictures is not allowed.

We stopped over at the Agios Georgios church in Mosfili, where we enjoyed the view over the mountains and Kokkina. Here we are nearby the UN-bufferzone around the pene-exclave Kokkina.

The highest point of Cyprus is at 1.950 mtr, on Mt. Olympus in the Troödosmountains.

Situated in this ski-area is since 1878  Troödos Station, formerly Royal Air Force Troödos. It is retained with UK RAF military.

Before driving 1 hr. back tot Nicosia, we stopped for an excellent diner at
'The village pub & restaurant' in Kakopetria.

Movie about the labyrinth with at 1:48 a → clear view on the Westernmost Western
SBA bordermarker

After lunch we walk along the coast, pass  Muntyan's labrinth and walk to the border between SBA and RoC.
Even a bordermarker is on the spot!

From the Westernmost point of the Western SBA we drove to Kolossi. On the border there's Kolossi castle and we hope to find some bordermarkers.

From Kolossi castle we drove to Asomatos to find some bordermarkers between RoC and SBA.

We check in our Pefkos city hotel in Limassol and after refreshment we went out for diner. We found a marvelous place where we enjoined dinner and Keo.

As we saw, we did left the UN-bufferzone on the road (where the 'neighbour' informed us). There we entered the Eastern SBA. To enter Pergamos, we first had to leave ESBA area and enter TRNC. We did this at the bordercrossing of Pergamos, adjacent we explored the border at Pergamos.

At the parkingplace at the border we said goodbye to HP and Linda. It was great to meet you, hope to meet you at next expedition!

After Steen picked us up, we drove to Xylotymbou which is one of the four enclaves surrounded by the Eastern Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The others are the village of Ormidhia and two separate parts of Dhekelia Power Station.

It is administered by the internationally recognized government of Cyprus (RoC).

Until 1917, Xylotymbou belonged administratively to Famagusta District and since then it belongs in Larnaca District. It is located in the middle of Makrasyka, Achna, Ormidia, Dhekelia, Pyla, and Pergamos.

Until 1821, there were no residents. The Hadjiyiorkis was one of the first inhabitants of the village. When he was married in 1840, the village had only seven houses.

From Xylotymvou, next stop is the line between the enclaves of Dhekelia Powerstation and opposite of UK HW B3, the enclave EAC-settlement.

It's rather odd to see that 2 enclaves are devided just by a road, that is UK territory.

Also odd to see that a specific spot already was signed in as a protrusion in the border, however it took years to place here an electric tower.

However odd, also nice to research.

From Dhekelia powerplant we drove to a bordercorner at HW 3 nearby Ormedia.

Here we found a BM and after pictureizing this, we drove to tripoint nr. 4 on the map, meanwhile spotting a lot of bordermarkers, TRNC obs. posts and UN-post 103.

Meanwhile we pass the abonned town Dücze, where we had a view on the Greek church Ιερός Ναός Αγίας Μαρίνας.

From Ormidea we drove on HW 303 heading up for Famagusta, but first we liked to stop at the tripoint UN-Bufferzone- ESBA-RoC.

Driving this road we do spot a lot of bordermarkers and TRNC obs. post. Also we pass UN-post 139.
The first signe we see is quit clear.

From HW 303 among Düzce we drove to the tripoint, located as pointed on the map. As tripoint there was absolutly nothing to see, so the only pics are from around and a printscreen that shows I am exactly standing on the tripoint.

As you see on the map, there's another tripoint closeby. We tried to reach that, but signs and a TRNC obs. post were in our way.

On Cyprus there are now 5 tripoints to be found, depending if we see all entities that claim jurisdiction as an entity with borders.

Two of those tripoints we visited during Cybex-24, no. 1 and no. 4.