Azernews.Az

Nazrin Abdul

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Protesters in Cyprus have taken to the streets in recent days, chanting “British bases out” and demanding the removal of United Kingdom military installations from the island’s southern coast, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

Demonstrations in the city of Limassol erupted after a suspected Iranian-made drone struck the nearby RAF Akrotiri airbase earlier this week. The incident occurred two days after the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran, further escalating tensions across the region.

The controversy has intensified following reports that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized the United States to use British facilities in Cyprus for what officials described as “defensive strikes” targeting Iranian missile sites.

For many Cypriots, the developments have revived long-standing concerns about the presence of foreign military forces on the island. The United Kingdom retained two sovereign military base areas, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, when Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960. The agreement was part of a fragile power-sharing arrangement between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

While the bases remain under full British sovereignty, critics say the arrangement left Cyprus only partially independent.

“The bases are a remnant of the colonial and imperialist empire of Britain,” said Melanie Steliou Nicolaou, a local actress and television presenter who lives near the Akrotiri base. “To me, Cyprus was never truly decolonised.”

The bases have long served as a strategic hub for British and allied military operations across the Middle East.

Aircraft operating from RAF Akrotiri have supported campaigns in Iraq and Libya, and the facility has also been used for surveillance and logistical support missions related to conflicts in the region.

The latest escalation has renewed debate within Cyprus about whether the continued presence of British bases serves the island’s interestsor exposes it to regional security risks.