The “UK-US: Bases Off Cyprus” campaign has been launched, calling for the closure of British military bases on the island.
As part of the initiative, simultaneous protests are scheduled for March 9, 2025, at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and the UK Ministry of Defence in London.
The protests aim to highlight the use of British bases in Cyprus for supporting Israel’s operations in Gaza. During the demonstrations, “Genocide-Free Cyprus” will present research showing the involvement of British and American military aircraft in operations via Larnaca and Paphos airports.
The campaign, supported by organizations such as CODEPINK, Stop the War Coalition, and United for Palestine (Cyprus), officially launched on February 26, 2025, with a webinar discussing the bases’ role in regional conflicts and their impact on Cyprus’ sovereignty.
The British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus were retained by the UK under the 1960 Treaty of Establishment. Akrotiri, near Limassol, hosts a key RAF station for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean operations, while Dhekelia, near Larnaca, houses a British Army garrison and is adjacent to the UN Buffer Zone.
These bases cover around 3% of Cyprus’s territory and remain strategically important, but their presence is contentious among Cypriots, who see them as remnants of colonial rule undermining Cypriot sovereignty.