On July 15, 1974, a Greece-backed coup d'état, carried out by the Cyprus National Guard removed the then-president Archbishop Makarios III and installed Greek Cypriot nationalist Nikos Sampson "to unite Cyprus with Greece". Greek soldiers attacked the Presidential Palace, seized control of Nicosia Airport, and took over the city's telecommunications center. Around 10,000 Greek Cypriots were imprisoned as enemies of the Greek state. The intervention violated the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee signed by Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, and the UK, who were authorized to ensure Cyprus' independence, territorial integrity, and security. Article IV authorized guarantor powers to take action to restore the situation in Cyprus to its previous state and by invoking that, Turkiye intervened within 48 hours by sea and air. The events led to Sampson's resignation and subsequent imprisonment after only eight days in power.