Page 31 - LBV 2024

Op TOSCA
I was aware of Op TOSCA being the British Army’s contribution to the
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), as I had previously deployed on the operation in 2017. The country and the operation as a whole I found to be very interesting, and a place to which I’d be happy to return and work again. The bonus is that I would be able to invite my family out to visit me whilst on deployment, something we aren’t able to do on most other operations.
I was in a cap badge-specific role working within the Force Military
Police Unit during my last Op TOSCA deployment. However, as a reserve Major, I knew that going back to the same department was not an option,
and I wanted a new challenge. Thinking back, I remembered there were E2 (any cap badge) roles working as a liaison officer for UNFICYP. A liaison officer requires diplomacy, tact, forethought,
full situational awareness, and excellent communication skills. All attributes I have and/or would relish the opportunity to develop. With that in mind, I went about finding out who the lead unit for the next Op TOSCA would be and wrote to them asking for a job as one of the mission’s liaison officers. I was interviewed shortly after and was successful in gaining the role.
UNFICYP is a United Nations peacekeeping mission that was established in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting following violence between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots – it comprises of contingents from over 25 nations. Following the
1974 Greek Cypriot coup d’état and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, UNFICYP extended and expanded the mission to prevent the dispute from turning into war, and UNFICYP was redeployed to patrol the Buffer Zone (BZ) in Cyprus. The BZ is a demilitarized zone, patrolled by UNFICYP, and a de facto partition of the island between the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) in
the South and the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in the North. Since the start of the conflict in 1974, there has been no armistice,
no surrender, and no treaty. Therefore, the presence of the UN facilitates a peaceful country between two opposing forces who are still technically at war. This is, of course, often overlooked as
it is not reported on the news, civilians are not subject to war conditions, and holidaymakers often flock to the country.
In support of the military components working in the BZ to maintain peace and stability, a small observer and liaison group is required to liaise with the opposing military forces; the National Guard (NG) in the south, and Turkish
Forces (TF) in the north. These Military Observer and Liaison Officers (MOLOs) are to investigate major incidents and solve problems with mediation and negotiation through formal and informal communication. It was in the role of the TF MOLO that I was fortunate enough to deploy on Op TOSCA 40.
MOLOs develop and maintain effective relations, de-escalate tension, and resolve incidents through liaison. In addition, we integrate with UNFICYP’s operating companies to analyse information coming in and advise on, and help deliver, suitable courses of action. We do this with impartiality, de- escalation, and credibility throughout
our agreed, robust, and trusted liaison procedures. All of this is to de-escalate the military presence along the BZ to maintain a stable environment for peace discussions to take place.
Most would be apprehensive about working as an individual augmentee within a 4 PARA-led Op TOSCA 40 task group, and I was no different. Arriving on pre-deployment training (PDT) in January 2024 was an interesting time.
I found myself surrounded by fellow captivated augmentees, along with
intrigued infantry soldiers and officers. As a task force, we quickly fused into a capable UN military force, with me and the rest of the MOLOs uniting to shape a formidable liaise and influence element.
During my time, I have had the pleasure of working with some incredible people from across a broad spectrum of the military, giving me an extraordinary insight into the capabilities and proficiencies of other cap badges.
I have been able to plan and execute negotiations of island-wide sensitive matters at battlegroup and UNFICYP force HQ level, providing me with unique opportunities to broaden my staff officer and diplomatic knowledge and experience. Also, I have had the honour of contributing towards operational outputs that have provided lasting
and peaceful solutions to those on the island. Being part of the negotiations
that resulted in the reinstatement of UNFICYP military patrols and civilian visits to Waynes Keep Cemetery (a Commonwealth Wargrave Committee Cemetery) comes to mind as an excellent example.
Major L Harratt RMP
THE LIGHT BLUE VOLUNTEER 31