Anger in Cyprus over UK bases as US-Israel war with Iran endangers island
Al Jazeera • • general
Key Points:
- Protests have erupted in Limassol, Cyprus, demanding the removal of UK military bases following a suspected Iranian drone strike on RAF Akrotiri amid escalating US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
- The UK retains two sovereign base areas on Cyprus—Akrotiri and Dhekelia—remnants of colonial rule, which many Cypriots view as undermining the island’s full sovereignty and serving British military interests in the Middle East.
- Locals criticize the bases for enabling surveillance and military operations linked to conflicts in Iraq, Libya, and Gaza, with activists warning that the bases put Cypriots at risk and lack economic or security benefits for the island.
- The recent drone attack and subsequent UK military reinforcements have
