Drone strike on RAF Akrotiri sparks Cyprus protests over Britain’s bases

A rare drone strike on Britain’s RAF Akrotiri has jolted Cyprus and reignited a long‑simmering debate over the UK’s military presence on the island, prompting protests in Nicosia, Limassol and other towns — and even in London. The 2 March attack, the first on a UK base in Cyprus since a 1986 rocket strike blamed on Libyan militants, has sharpened calls from activists for Britain to withdraw its Sovereign Base Areas.

Ifigenia, a resident of Akrotiri village near Limassol, said she woke to an explosion and sirens that night. Fearing the worst, she packed quickly, took her baby and fled in the dark. The blast hit a hangar at RAF Akrotiri in what is believed to have been a Shahed‑type drone attack launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon.

In the following days, more drones headed toward Cyprus were intercepted. Hundreds of people living near the base left their homes for hotels, a nearby monastery or relatives’ houses.

Although Ifigenia has returned, she described a lingering unease: “As residents, we bear no responsibility for these conflicts.” Demonstrations organized by groups including the Cyprus Peace Council have drawn growing crowds, with activists arguing that the UK bases place the island at risk as tensions escalate in the Middle East.

Cyprus, they note, has once again been pulled into regional crosscurrents amid the US and Israel’s war on Iran. Britain’s presence on the island dates to independence in 1960, when Cyprus ended colonial rule under a settlement that left the UK in control of two Sovereign Base Areas.

Today, Akrotiri and Dhekelia remain under British jurisdiction and together cover about three per cent of Cyprus’s land. Public sentiment has shifted over time. During the fighting in 1974 that split the island between Greek and Turkish communities, some locals sought refuge on the bases.

Now, opinions are more divided — and increasingly critical. According to one recent survey, opposition to the bases has grown by 14 per cent, while 38 per cent remain in favor, citing jobs, services and economic benefits. Others argue the British presence provides an added layer of security.

with Akrotiri on their doorstep. Since the attack, some have felt reassured by the deployment of additional anti‑missile systems from Greece and France, while others — especially those with memories of past conflict — fear the risks of escalation. For many opponents, the bases are a lingering symbol of colonial rule and a conduit for regional warfare.

“From then until today British military bases in Cyprus are used to implement aggressive imperialist plans and as a launching pad against neighbouring peoples, exposing Cyprus to great dangers as a result,” said Charis Pashias, general secretary of the Cyprus Peace Council.

Activists also point to the broader toll of the current crisis, noting that over 2,000 people have been killed by US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran since 28 February. As the European Union country closest to the Middle East, Cyprus plays a strategic role in the eastern Mediterranean — effectively serving as a British aircraft carrier and an important intelligence‑gathering point.

That position, protesters argue, leaves the island exposed even as supporters of the bases highlight the security and economic ties they bring.