 This unit had sustained the loss of vehicles, radios and ammunition in a forest fire on 16 July, and was in poor shape when it engaged Turkish paratroopers at Saint Hilarion castle on 20 July, in support of mountain commando forces in the area.The Greek Cypriot 326th and 306th Infantry battalions, located in the area, failed to play an immediate role in the resistance against the Turkish landing.Two battalions, the 281st infantry battalion and the 286th Mechanised Infantry battalion (+3 tanks) were sent from Nicosia to reinforce the defences at Kyrenia, but both were attacked by Turkish aircraft at the village of Kontemnos, resulting in the destruction of soft-skin vehicles, six BTR-152 armoured vehicles, and the killing of the commander of the 286th battalion, Lt Col. Georgios Boutos.