Since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, and especially after the Turkish bombing of Tylliria in 1964, the need for an organized civil defence force was more than obvious. With the enactment of the Civil Defence Law of 1964, a provision was made for organizing civil defense forces and services on a compulsory and voluntary basis, for the organization of Civil Defence Force, for training citizens in the Force, for the supply and storage of equipment and supplies, for creating shelters and requisitioning, purchasing and leasing of real estate or chattel. The operation of the Force today is governed by the Laws on Civil Defence of 1996 and 1998 and the Civil Defence (General) Regulations of 1997 until 2012.