A cross-shaped reinforced concrete structure that appeared a few months ago on the edge of the buffer zone, on the occupied side near Denia, has raised concern in the village. The UN peacekeeping force (UNFICYP) has told local officials it is a water reservoir or tank.
Residents noticed the structure and the intense construction work, and the community council asked UNFICYP what was being built. Village head Charalambos Alexandrou told Phileleftheros the council had reservations, as it is a large reinforced concrete structure with big, sturdy columns.
The council is also concerned about its location, right on the edge of the buffer zone among trenches and military positions.
The structure lies 2.1 kilometres west and 0.5 kilometres north of the centre of Denia. It was spotted through analysis of satellite images of the area, where trenches dug by the Turkish occupation army since January 2024 lie close by.
This time, the signs point to more than an anti-tank ditch: the structure is made of reinforced concrete. Phileleftheros understands its foundations are two and a half metres deep.
Occupation army activity near Denia
Turkish occupation army activity around Denia has repeatedly drawn complaints, both over the harassment of Greek Cypriot farmers in the buffer zone and over fortification works on the occupied side near the ceasefire line.
In January 2024, the village head at the time, Christakis Panayiotou, said excavators were digging trenches 50 to 100 metres from fields farmed by Greek Cypriots. The United Nations and the relevant Republic of Cyprus authorities were informed.
Farmers going into the buffer zone to work their land have also repeatedly complained of being obstructed. On September 23, 2026, Alexandrou said two Turkish men in uniform, in a Turkish occupation army vehicle, had tried to remove farmers, citing a 1998 map. He said there had been two to three such incidents a week over the previous two months.
UNFICYP sent peacekeepers to the area following that incident. Its spokesman, Aleem Siddique, said the force had intervened after reports of a violation inside the buffer zone, to de-escalate tensions and restore calm.
The community authorities are calling for farmers to be guaranteed unhindered access to their fields.
