Cyprus’ buffer zone acting as ‘biodiversity refuge’
The buffer zone that traverses the island’s divide has developed into an unexpected area of biodiversity, with nature expanding in areas where human activity has been limited for decades.
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Fire in Kokkinotrimithia buffer zone under control
A fire close to an abandoned shoe factory in the buffer zone of Kokkinotrimithia, Nicosia, that started at noon on Friday, has been placed under control.
In a post on ...
Cyprus’ buffer zone remains fragile, UNSG warns in Unficyp report
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns in his latest report on Unficyp that the situation in Cyprus’ buffer zone remains fragile, with particular concern over the Pyla plateau, military activity ...
Fire service to inspect buffer zone risks
The fire service will carry out inspections along the buffer zone to identify potential fire hazards and ensure that necessary clean-up works are carried out, fire service spokesman Andreas Kettis ...
Firefighter detained by Turkish Cypriots during buffer zone inspection
A firefighter from the Republic was detained by Turkish Cypriot ‘authorities’ in the Pyla buffer zone on Thursday while carrying out a site inspection linked to seasonal fire prevention measures.
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Firefighters bring Yeri buffer zone blaze under control
Fire stations in Nicosia responded on Tuesday to a fire in the buffer zone in the Yeri area, the fire service said.
Three fire engines attended the scene, with assistance ...
Cyprus upgrades Green Line surveillance amid recurring buffer zone incidents
Cyprus has significantly strengthened surveillance along the Green Line with modern monitoring systems, while much of the barbed wire previously installed along the buffer zone has now been removed.
Speaking ...
UN ‘monitoring situation’ near Avlona as claims of buffer zone violations persist
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp) is continuing to monitor the situation in the buffer zone near the village of Avlona, which is located between Nicosia and Morphou, ...
‘Our government must act’, Avlona leader calls for buffer zone support
The government has a role to play in preventing repeated violations of the buffer zone, Avlona community leader Menelaos Savva said on Tuesday, urging authorities to step up practical measures ...
Avlona community reports repeated buffer zone breaches to UN
A Turkish settler re-entered a designated “frozen area” within the United Nations buffer zone in Avlona on Monday, carrying out unauthorised agricultural activity despite intervention by peacekeeping forces, according to ...
Lacroix calls for calm in buffer zone after Christodoulides meeting
United Nations undersecretary-general for peacekeeping operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Tuesday called for calm in the buffer zone after a meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides.
He said the UN peacekeeping force ...
National Guard ‘closely monitoring’ buffer zone, Palmas says
The National Guard is “closely monitoring” the situation in and around the buffer zone after fears arose of heightened tensions near the buffer zone village of Pyla last week, Defence ...
Unauthorised activity reported in buffer zone near Avlona
A new incident of unauthorised activity was recorded on Sunday morning in the Avlona area, when ‘a Turkish farmer’ reportedly attempted to cut hay in the UN-controlled buffer zone without ...
Our View: Government posturing repeated over ‘violations’ of buffer zone
Calm appears to have returned to the buffer zone in the Pyla area, Unficyp having taken control of the situation. Much was made by the Cyprus government of the incursion ...
Turkish tanks no longer lined up near Pergamos
The row of Turkish tanks lined up near the village of Pergamos, between Larnaca and Famagusta, had departed from the area by Thursday, the Cyprus Mail understands.
Sources close to ...
EU report calls on Turkey to ‘give space’ to Turkish Cypriots to act politically
The European Parliament has in its latest annual report called on Turkey to “give the Turkish Cypriot community the necessary space” to chart its own political course.
The report was ...
UN peacekeepers step up patrols in Pyla over buffer zone breach
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp) said it has increased patrols and maintained a visible presence in the Pyla area following the observation of unauthorised entry by Turkish ...
Green party demands investigation after dogs found dead in buffer-zone reservoir
The Green party of Cyprus demanded a full investigation on Tuesday after several dogs were found dead in an unfenced water reservoir inside the Astromeritis buffer zone, lambasting the incident ...
Govt ‘taking action’ over asparagus picker arrested in north
The government is “taking action” to free the Greek Cypriot man who was arrested after driving into the north while collecting wild asparagus, according to reports on Thursday.
The Cyprus ...
Avlona leader reports fresh buffer zone violation by Turkish farmers
The community leader of Avlona village reported on Thursday another violation of the buffer zone by ‘Turkish farmers’, saying he has alerted both the Cyprus foreign ministry and the United ...
Von der Leyen reaffirms EU commitment to ‘just’ solution of Cyprus issue
President Nikos Christodoulides, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Commissioners arrived at the Limassol port on Thursday for a conference marking a key moment in Cyprus’s ...
Unficyp called to further incident in buffer zone
Two Turkish Cypriot tractors reportedly entered the buffer zone in the Nicosia district village of Avlona at around 10am on Monday, cultivating fields belonging to Greek Cypriot farmers, the village’...
Palmas: Turkish army does not respect human rights
Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas on Wednesday said the Turkish army “does not respect human rights”, in response to an incident in the buffer zone earlier in the week in which ...
Turkish Cypriots deny ‘attack’ on farmers in buffer zone, say farmers entered north
The north’s ‘foreign ministry’ on Tuesday night denied claims that Turkish soldiers had attacked Greek Cypriot farmers in the buffer zone village of Mammari, west of Nicosia, stating instead ...