Nikiforos: Greek planes blast targets outside Nicosia

GREEK air-force planes yesterday hit targets on the ground with live fire, playing out a scenario in the Nikiforos military exercise.

Two A-7 Corsair bombers flew over the exercise area at an undisclosed location in the Nicosia district, attacking ground targets while artillery and mortars were used to support a tank attack.

The aircraft then flew straight to their base in Crete without landing at the Andreas Papandreou air-force base in Paphos.

Reports said Turkish fighters tried to harass the Corsairs en route to Cyprus, but were intercepted by other Greek fighters.

Defence Minister Socratis Hasikos watched the manoeuvres, flanked by National Guard Commander Harilaos Florakis.

“The essence is one. The Greek air-force is here,” Hasikos said.

On Wednesday night ground units executed an assault to recover lost ground.

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