Andreas Zakos

Andreas Zakos (Greek: Ανδρέας Ζάκος) (12 November 1931 – 9 August 1956), was a Cypriot resistance fighter of EOKA.^[1] In December 1955, he was taken prisoner by the British after a failed ambush at Mersinaki and was subsequently sent to the Central Jail of Nicosia where after a few months, was sentenced to death and killed via hanging.^[2][3]

Andreas Zakos was born on 12 November 1931 in the village of Linou in the Nicosia District.^[4] His parents were Charilaos and Aphrodite Zakou and he had 4 siblings.^[5] He went to the primary school of Lefka, the Pancyprian Gymnasium and the school of Solea.^[6]

When EOKA started its struggle for the freedom of Cyprus, Zakos worked at a Cypriot mine in Xeros, joining EOKA early, stopping from work and being in the Markos Drakos team.^[7] He operated in the Lefka - Pyrgou area, setting up hideouts and recruiting new members, later being placed in the Galini guerrilla unit with his orders from EOKA leader Georgios Grivas being reconnaissance on future targets and sabotage.^[8]

On 15 December 1955, Markos Drakos' team set up an ambush on a British military vehicle in Mersinaki, in the ensuing battle, Charalampos Mouskos was killed, Markos Drakos, although injured, managed to escape, however Zakos alongside his teammate, Charilaos Michail, were captured.^[9][10]

Zakos and Michail were escorted to the central jail in Nicosia where they were both sentenced to death and were hung in the early hours of 9 August 1956, alongside Iacovos Patatsos.^[11] They were later buried in the Imprisoned Graves. Later, in 1958, Kyriakos Matsis was also buried there.^[12]