fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðə tˈɜːkɪʃ ɪnvˈeɪʒən, ðɪ ˈɛɹpoːɹt wʌzðə sˈiːn ʌv sˌʌm ʌvðə hˈɛviɪst fˈaɪɾɪŋ bᵻtwˌiːn sˈɪpɹɪət ænd tˈɜːkɪʃ fˈoːɹsᵻz, wˌɪtʃ lˈɛd ðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd nˈeɪʃənz sᵻkjˈʊɹɹᵻɾi kˈaʊnsəl tə dᵻklˈɛɹ ɪɾ ɐ juːnˈaɪɾᵻd nˈeɪʃənz pɹətˈɛktᵻd ˈɛɹiə ʌnpˈɑː dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə kˈɑːnflɪkt.
Following the Turkish invasion, the airport was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting between Cypriot and Turkish forces, which led the United Nations Security Council to declare it a United Nations Protected Area (UNPA) during the conflict.