Ten third country nationals were due to be repatriated on Tuesday afternoon after 14 others were returned on Saturday as part of a coordinated return flight arranged by Italian authorities, police said on Tuesday.

The move is part of Cyprus’ ongoing efforts to manage irregular migration, with police data showing 2,056 people staying in the country illegally have been deported since the start of the year. This marks a notable increase on the 1,639 individuals who left during the same period in 2024.

The latest operation was conducted in collaboration with the European border and coast guard agency (Frontex), the second time this year Cyprus has taken part in a Frontex-coordinated repatriation effort.

The operation on Tuesday afternoon was organised by Frontex and German authorities with the involvement of Cyprus police.

Authorities stressed that efforts to maximise returns are ongoing, with both the police and the aliens and immigration service continuing to work closely with European agencies to manage migration flows effectively.