Cypriots rally in Nicosia calling for removal of British military bases

NICOSIA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Cypriots staged a peaceful protest in central Nicosia on Saturday, calling for the removal of two British military bases and urging the government to keep the island out of the widening Middle East conflict.

According to the Cyprus Mail, demonstrators marched from the Pasydy union building to the Presidential Palace, carrying banners reading "Cyprus is not your launchpad" and "British Bases Out," and demanding the abolition of the UK's sovereign base areas.

The protest followed a March 1 drone strike that hit the British Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri. The attack caused minor damage and no casualties but alarmed nearby residents and led to temporary school closures. The drone was believed to have been launched from Lebanon, raising concerns about Cyprus' exposure to regional tensions.

President Nikos Christodoulides said in an interview with local media on Thursday that the British government's handling of the issue had caused "annoyance," noting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer had not clearly stated before the incident that the bases would not be used for aggressive actions.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos told Sky News that Cyprus "is not a target" of the military actions and that the incidents involved the British military bases, stressing that the UK has responsibilities regarding its installations on the island.

Following the strike, Britain strengthened defenses at the bases, deploying anti-drone helicopters and planning to send additional naval forces to the Eastern Mediterranean. London has said the bases will not be used for strikes against Iran.

Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960, when the United Kingdom retained sovereignty over two base areas, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, which together cover about 352 square kilometers, roughly 3 percent of the island's territory. ■