Signs bearing the phrase “British Genocide Base” have appeared on roads leading to the UK’s Akrotiri military base in Cyprus, amid growing local activism against foreign military bases on the island.
The signage appears to have been placed by pro-Palestinian activists, with photographs of the protest action circulating on social media.
Multiple demonstrations have been organised in recent months challenging the presence of military bases in Cyprus amid growing concern about their role in the wars in the Middle East.
“As of Tuesday, British spy planes resumed flying from Akrotiri over Gaza to collect intelligence on behalf of Israel’s genocidal campaign. The British government would rather that the involvement of its Cyprus military bases in this genocide go unnoticed. So signs reading ‘Britain’s genocide base’ have gone up on roads leading to the Akrotiri base, which has been a crucial enabler of Israel’s war crimes,” Genocide-Free Cyprus wrote in a post on Facebook.
“The RAF has flown almost half of the reconnaissance flights to go over Gaza from here since the start of the genocide. The base has also been used to fly military cargo to Israel, and for U.S. special forces flights,” it added.
The UK’s airbase in Akrotiri has been used for air strikes against Houthis in Yemen, while it reportedly provides logistical and intelligence support to Israeli forces for the war in Gaza.
A “UK-USA: Bases out of Cyprus” campaign, launched by a coalition of advocacy groups and peace advocates, focuses on what organisers describe as the problematic role of British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) in Cyprus, characterising them as “hubs for UK and US military operations” that facilitate weapons transfers and intelligence sharing operations, particularly in relation to regional conflicts.
They assert these bases represent “a lasting remnant of colonial rule” that undermines Cypriot sovereignty.
Historical context
British military presence in Cyprus dates back to 1878 when the United Kingdom received Cyprus as a protectorate from the Ottoman Empire in exchange for the UK’s military support against Russia. When Cyprus gained independence in 1960, the UK retained sovereignty over approximately 98 square miles of territory for military bases at Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
These installations have remained operational for over six decades, serving various strategic purposes throughout the Cold War era and more recent Middle Eastern conflicts, including the war in Gaza and NATO’s fight against the Houthis in Yemen.
Defence ministry officials from the UK have consistently maintained that these bases operate in accordance with international law and bilateral agreements with Cyprus.
