Cyprus: Shots in the Orchard

The most serious outbreak of fighting in 14 months flared last week on the bloodied island of Cyprus. It came at the east coast port city of Famagusta, where 3,000 Turkish Cypriots are holed up in the city's old fortress and another 3,000 control three small suburban villages. The far more numerous Greek Cypriots hold everything else, and for months both sides have been elbowing for better tactical positions, often building bunkers within 50 yds. of each other.

Early last week a Greek Cypriot patrol probed into a Turkish orchard, drew immediate fire that wounded one member of the patrol. Within hours, the Greeks launched a massive counterstroke that isolated the Turkish communities from each other. In two days of bitter fire fights, one Turkish Cypriot was killed and five were wounded. The Greek Cypriots suffered six wounded.

Once again, a fait accompli had put Makarios' men in control of important new strongpoints from which to threaten the Turkish Cypriots. Inside the Famagusta fortress, the Turkish Cypriots were left in a perilous situation. Their food and water could be cut off at any moment; already their telephone line had been disconnected. Said one Turkish Cypriot leader: "The Greeks want to make us surrender. If they go on like this, we must have help from Turkey."