On August 14, 1974, four Austrian UN peacekeepers tried to prevent an attack on the village of Koshi with the help of peaceful mediation between the Greek Cypriot National Guard and the Turkish Cypriots. But to no avail – the soldiers withdrew due to the prevailing critical situation and waited out the situation, but continued to observe the situation on the ground. Hours later, the National Guard launched an attack, followed by an overflight by a Turkish fighter bomber. The bomber dropped bombs on the UN vehicle of the troop and on the soldiers in cover. Three out of four soldiers died in this attack. Three peacekeepers from Austria: Lieutenant Johann Izay, Senior Constable Paul Decombe and Corporal August Isak. They were the ones who lost their lives in the line of duty in the service of peace.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner: “Austria’s goal has always been to ensure peace in conflict-ridden countries. Nobody wanted these brave soldiers to have to give their lives for this. But the Austrian Armed Forces have not allowed themselves to be intimidated by this – full of willpower and with great bravery, the soldiers of the Austrian Armed Forces are not deterred from continuing to pursue their goal: Peace. Over the past 62 years, more than 100,000 soldiers and civilian helpers have made an indispensable contribution to peace in the world in over 100 international peace support and humanitarian missions.” During her two-day stay in Cyprus, the Minister of Defense will also visit the UN mission UNFICYP, in which the Austrian Armed Forces are participating with three soldiers. Austria has been involved on the Mediterranean island since the 1960s. The UN mission began in 1964 following armed clashes between the Greek and Turkish ethnic groups. Since then, more than 16,000 Austrians have taken part in the mission, but since 2001 the Austrian Armed Forces have no longer been represented with their own contingent, only with staff officers.
