United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus is a demilitarised zone , patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus ( UNFICYP ) , that was established in 1974 following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus , and " de facto " partitions the island into the area controlled by the Government of Cyprus ( which is the " de jure " government for the entire island save for the British Sovereign Base Areas ) in the South and that under the administration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the North . The zone runs for more than along what is colloquially known as the Green Line and has an area of . The zone stretches for 180 km from the western part of near Kato Pyrgos to the east just south of Famagusta . It cuts through the centre of the old town of Nicosia , separating the city into southern and northern sections . There is also a buffer zone around the Kokkina exclave in western Cyprus . The width of the zone ranges from in central Nicosia , to at the village of Athienou . There is no buffer zone along the common border between the eastern British Sovereign Base Area and the area under Greek Cypriot or Turkish Cypriot control . Some 10 , 000 people live in several villages and work on farms located within the zone ; the village of Pyla is famous for being the only village on Cyprus where Greeks and Turks live side by side . Other villages are Deneia , Athienou and Troulloi , while Lympia and Mammari lie partially within the zone . Turkish forces built a barrier on the zone ' s northern side , consisting mainly of barbed - wire fencing , concrete wall segments , watchtowers , anti - tank ditches , and minefields . This line is also referred to as the Attila Line on some maps , named after the Turkish code - name for the 1974 military intervention : Operation Atilla . The closed off zone has become a haven for Cyprus ' wildlife , an example of an involuntary park . History . A buffer zone in Cyprus was first established in 1964 , when Major - General Peter Young was the commander of the British peace force ( a predecessor of the present UN force ) set up in the wake of the intercommunal violence of the early 1960s . After stationing his troops in different areas of Nicosia , the general drew a cease - fire line on a map with a dark green crayon , which was to become known as the " Green Line " . The Green Line became impassable following the July 1974 invasion by Turkey which intervened by air , sea , and land , capturing approximately 8 % of Cyprus territory in response to a short lived Greek Cypriot coup . A " security zone " was established after the Tripartite Conference of Geneva in July 1974 . Pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 353 ( 1974 ) , < ref name = " S / RES / 353 " > < / ref > the foreign ministers of Greece , Turkey , and the United Kingdom convened in Geneva , Switzerland on 25 July 1974 . According to UNFICYP , the text of the joint declaration transmitted to the Secretary - General of the United Nations was as follows : The UN Security Council then adopted the above declaration with Resolution 355 . When the coup dissolved , the Turkish Armed Forces advanced to capture approximately 37 % of the island and met the " Green Line " . The meander ing Buffer Zone marks the southernmost points that the Turkish troops occupied during the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in August 1974 , running between the cease fire lines of the Cypriot National Guard and Turkish army that " de facto " divides Cyprus into two , cutting through the capital of Nicosia . With the self - proclamation of the internationally unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus , the Buffer Zone became its de facto southern border . Traffic across the buffer zone was very limited until 2003 , when the number of crossings and the rules governing them were relaxed . Sectors . Sector One . Starts at Kokkina exclave and covers approximately 90 kilometres to Mammari , west of Nicosia . Since October 16 , 1993 , it has been the responsibility of the Argentinian Contingent with 212 soldiers . Sector One Headquarters and Command Company are located in San Martin Camp , which is near Skouriotissa village . Support Company finds its home at Roca Camp , near Xeros in the north . The two line companies are deployed along four permanently manned patrol bases while also conducting mobile patrols from the San Martin and Roca camps . Sector Two . Starts at Mammari , west of Nicosia and covers 30 kilometres to Kaimakli , east of Nicosia . Since 1993 , has been the responsibility of the British contingent , which deploys using the name Operation TOSCA . Sector Four . Starting at Kaimakli , east of Nicosia and covers 65 Kilometres to the village of Dhernia , on the east coast of Cyprus and has been the responsibility of the Slovakian and Hungarian contingent with 202 Soldiers . Crossings . After a nearly 30 - year ban on crossings , the Turkish Cypriot administration significantly eased travel restrictions across the dividing line in April 2003 , allowing Greek Cypriots to cross at the Ledra Palace Crossing just outside the walls of old Nicosia . This was made only possible after the decision of the ECHR ( " Djavit An vs Turkey " , Application No . 20652 / 92 ) . These are the crossings now available : Before Cypriot accession to the European Union , there were restrictions on Green Line crossings by foreigners imposed by the Republic of Cyprus , but these were abolished for EU citizens by EU regulation 866 / 2004 . Generally , citizens of any country are permitted to cross the line , including Greek and Turkish Cypriots . Passports are required for entry into Northern Cyprus , but they are not generally stamped . A 2005 EU report stated that " a systematic illegal route through the northern part to the government - controlled areas exists " allowing an influx of asylum seekers . Incidents . In August 1996 , Greek Cypriot refugees demonstrated with a march against what they regard as the Turkish occupation of Cyprus . The demonstrators ' demand was the complete withdrawal of Turkish troops and the return of the refugees to their homes and properties . Among them was Tasos Isaak who was beaten to death . Another man , Solomos Solomou , was shot to death by Turkish troops during the same protests on 14 August 1996 . Aged 26 , Solomou was one of many mourners who entered the Buffer Zone three days after Isaac ' s funeral , on 14 August to lay a wreath on the spot where he had been beaten to death . Solomou was fired upon by Turkish soldiers when he was climbing to a flagpole to remove the flag of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus . An investigation followed by authorities of the Republic of Cyprus and the suspects were named as Kenan Akin and Erdan Emanet . International legal proceedings were instigated and arrest warrants for both were issued via Interpol . During the demonstrations on the 14th August 1996 2 British Soldiers were also shot by the Turkish forces : Neil Emery and Jeffrey Hudson , both from 39th Regiment Royal Artillery . Bdr Emery was shot in his arm , whilst Gnr Hudson was shot in the leg by a high velocity rifle round and was airlifted to hospital in Nicosia then on to R . A . F . Akrotiri . Activism . The buffer zone between the checkpoints that divide Ledra Street was used as a space for activism from the 15th of October 2011 up until June 2012 by the Occupy Buffer Zone movement .