Unexploded mortar shell found during Agia Anna fire

Agia Anna, Cyprus. Firefighting teams responding to a fire on Wednesday found an unexploded mortar shell near farmland and the Tremithos River, within the boundaries of the Kalo Chorio firing range, according to the National Guard.

Shell neutralised

Police guarded the site to prevent public access after the shell was discovered. National Guard bomb disposal experts confirmed the following morning that it was an unexploded 81mm illumination mortar round.

Defence Ministry spokesperson Sofianos Filippidis told philenews that a bomb disposal team cordoned off and secured the area before destroying the shell. During the operation, specialists found a second shell nearby, which was later confirmed not to contain explosive material.

Fire brought under control

Department of Forests crews remained on standby and, together with the Fire Service and five aircraft, brought the fire under control by the following afternoon.

The fire appears to have started accidentally on the riverbed near Achnarka forest.

Residents seek range closure

The discovery came one month after a fire linked to the Kalo Chorio firing range caused a major blaze in Agia Anna and Psevdas, prompting concerns over the range’s operation.

Residents had asked Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas to close the range during a meeting held shortly after the July fire. Agia Anna community leader Anastasis Georgiou said a further meeting with Palmas is planned for mid-September, when residents will request a roadmap for the range’s closure.

Georgiou said mobilisation action remains under consideration, depending on the Defence Minister’s announcements at the meeting. He thanked firefighting teams for preventing Wednesday’s fire from reaching the forest and said the range should close urgently.

Calls for inspection and suspension

DISY MP Giorgos Karoullas called for all exercises at the range to be suspended and for an operation to locate every unexploded shell. In a social media post, he described the discovery as an extremely serious matter and said there was no room for complacency.

Karoullas said the protection of human life, the natural environment and property must be non-negotiable. He called for the use of available technology, including advanced detection, mapping and munitions-clearance confirmation systems, to ensure no unexploded ordnance remains after exercises.

He said an immediate suspension of exercises should be considered until a full inspection and clearance operation is completed and safety issues are addressed. He added that the matter should be examined by the House Defence Committee.

AKEL MP Andreas Pasiourtidis said his party supports closing the Kalo Chorio range. He said its continued operation creates risks, citing the newly discovered shell and the presence of farmers within the range’s boundaries.