Erbil, Iraq. United States officials were flown from the Harir airbase near Erbil to the United Kingdom’s Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus, the Cyprus Mail reported. It was not clear when the flight took place or whether the officials remain in Cyprus.
Flight details and rationale
A British defence ministry spokesperson said the US officials, some described as consular staff and others as “contractors,” boarded a British Royal Air Force transport aircraft in Erbil that had been scheduled to transport equipment to Akrotiri. The spokesperson said there were “insufficient American air assets in the region,” and that the US officials’ request to board the aircraft was accepted.
Uncertainty over timing and current location
The British defence ministry spokesperson said the flight did not take place on Thursday night, when the base was attacked by drones, injuring a number of US servicemen and killing one French soldier. The report noted that Erbil has been targeted by drones on numerous occasions since the conflict broke out.
The Cyprus Mail said it requested confirmation from the US Department of Defense on whether the officials remain in Cyprus and was awaiting a response. GB News reported that once the US officials arrived in Cyprus, “there was still no plan to recover them”.
Akrotiri drone strike and regional operations
Akrotiri was hit by an Iranian-made drone shortly after midnight on March 2. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed last week that the base has since been used as a launchpad for regional operations in which British aircraft engage and shoot down drones launched by Iran.
UK decision on US access to bases and Trump reaction
Starmer’s confirmation followed his announcement that the government would allow the United States to use its military bases, commonly understood to mean the Diego Garcia airbase in the Indian Ocean and the Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire, in operations against Iran. US President Donald Trump described what he viewed as a delay in the decision as “shocking” and said of Starmer, “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with”.
What do you think should happen next regarding the US officials’ status and recovery plan after their arrival in Cyprus?