Cyprus in a jittery state of preparedness over Syria
The likelihood of a British involvement in military action in Syria may have all but vanished after the House of Commons “no” to the UK government’s plans, but the state of readiness at the military base of Akrotiri in Cyprus’s south coast remains high.
The incident involving two British and two Turkish military jets over the Cyprus area is revealing of the tension. “The MoD can confirm that Typhoon Air Defence Aircraft operated from RAF Akrotiri yesterday (Tuesday) to investigate unidentified aircraft to the East of Cyprus; the aircraft were flying legally in international airspace and no intercept was required,” read a clarifying statement issued by the Ministry of Defence in London.
Which raises two questions: what terms are currently in place for the air defence of the island and could it be that the safety risk of the Syrian crisis for Cyprus is so big that the British forces are justified to get agitated over potential aerial threats worth of interception?
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(Photo: Nasa)
