Elam leader Christos Christou intensified his dispute with Akel on Wednesday over the wartime role of former president Demetris Christofias, arguing that official national guard records do not place him among those who fought at the Nicosia airport during the Turkish invasion.

Taking to Sigma TV, Christou said the controversy followed an earlier televised confrontation with Akel secretary-general Stefanos Stefanou and subsequent public interventions by Christofias’ family.

“However, since this discussion has been opened, I will hold my position,” Christou said, maintaining that he had not initially referred to the late former president by name during Monday’s debate.

Christou claimed Akel had promoted “a narrative of his participation in the war operations” and said his own review of national guard archives presented a differing account of Christofias’ service during Operation Attila.

According to Christou, the former president served as a medical sergeant in the 91st medical company, which he said operated under the command of the 211th infantry battalion during the conflict.

He stated that the unit’s area of responsibility extended from Ayios Pavlos to Kaimakli and crucially not the airport sector which lies to the west of the capital.

“Nowhere does it appear that the late former president was found or fought in the Nicosia airport area,” Christou insisted.

He further argued that the battle at Nicosia airport involved units of the air force, artillery and a company of the 33rd commando squadron.

Continuing his remarks, Christou said discussions with Greek (Eldyk) veterans had not produced testimony linking Christofias to the airport battles.

The dispute follows a heated exchange broadcast on Sigma on Monday night in which during the debate, Stefanou accused Elam of attempting to portray itself as “the only patriotic party” while questioning the sincerity of its of political opponents.

Referring to the paramilitary group Eoka B, Stefanou said “the spiritual ancestors of Elam also made this mistake” and argued that “it is they that brought the Turks into Cyprus”.

Christou responded by referring to his own father’s military service during Operation Attila and made indirect remarks widely interpreted as targeting Christofias.

“My own father, when he was called up to the front during Operation Attila, found the way to go,” Christou said during the programme.

“Someone else, who later served as president, lost his way.”

The comments prompted a public response from Christofias’ son, Christos Christofias, Akel MP candidate for Kyrenia, who defended his father’s wartime role and said he had served “as a medic at the Nicosia airport”.

“Demetris Christofias did then what thousands of others did, their duty,” he said.