Pyla, Cyprus. The United Nations Security Council has been briefed on the latest developments in the buffer zone village of Pyla, according to reports on Thursday. Tensions in the area were reported on Wednesday.
UN briefing and reported tensions
The Cyprus News Agency reported that the UN’s peace operations department briefed the Security Council on the issue, with tensions in the area having been reported on Wednesday.
Tank sightings and Unficyp response
Fears of heightened tensions arose on Wednesday morning after a line of Turkish tanks was spotted in the area. Unficyp spokesman Aleem Siddique told the Cyprus Mail that the tanks were at all times located north of the northern ceasefire line and therefore not in the buffer zone.
Siddique also said there were no military assets inside the buffer zone. He added that reports a Turkish flag had been planted in the buffer zone did not correspond to reality, stating the flag is located in the north.
British vehicle deployment near Dhekelia
Pyla and nearby Pergamos’ proximity to the United Kingdom’s Dhekelia base also saw British vehicles deploy to the area. British bases spokeswoman Korina Orphanides told the Cyprus Mail that the vehicles had been deployed only as a precaution and took no action, indicating the tanks were also outside the base.
Kibris Postasi report on reasons for deployment
News website Kibris Postasi quoted military sources as saying the tanks had been deployed because Greek Cypriot authorities attempted to facilitate illegal crossings, possibly of veterinarians, into the buffer zone near Pyla, citing an outbreak of foot and mouth disease on the Greek Cypriot side. The sources said measures were taken to bolster the Turkish Cypriot security presence in the area.
Government statement on buffer zone status
Later on Wednesday, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the incident amounted to the buffer zone being violated by occupying forces, in violation of the current regime and international law. He said it was an action aimed at challenging the status of the buffer zone and the role and terms of mandate of Unficyp, as well as creating new faits accomplis for the occupation.
Letymbiotis added that the government has been in constant communication with Unficyp from the beginning, supporting efforts for de-escalation.
How do you assess the differing accounts of what occurred in and around the Pyla buffer zone?
