Recent activity involving foreign vessels and aircraft in Cyprus is solely related to potential evacuations in case a wider conflict in the Middle East breaks out, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Friday.
Worried Cypriots have taken to social media this week posting footage of helicopters and the USS Wasp assault ship which has docked in Limassol, fearing that the country could be drawn into the war.
Footage is revealing a significant rise in military presence in Cyprus, with reports indicating even more warships are on the way. The USS Wasp is already docked at Limassol port, and will soon be joined by the USS Oak Hill and USS New York in the region.
— Genocide-Free Cyprus (@genocidefree_cy) August 8, 2024
Some of the footage… pic.twitter.com/EBPfr03PsX
Letymbiotis told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) that the surge in maritime and air traffic, including the arrival of the U.S. vessel in Limassol on Thursday, was linked to Cyprus’s readiness to assist with evacuations if necessary.
“Our collective hope is to avoid any escalation of the crisis, and in this direction, we are working together with our international partners,” Letymbiotis said.
He added that preparations for the activation of the ‘Estia’ plan, designed to facilitate the evacuation of third-country nationals through Cyprus, were ongoing.
The spokesman cautioned against spreading misinformation, emphasising the need for “sobriety, seriousness, and avoidance of uncritically adopting false news that aims to harm the Republic of Cyprus” during this period.
Hybrid actions of disinformation and spreading of fake news can not be allowed to have a misleading effect. #Cyprus 🇨🇾 is not involved in military operations or any conflict. Humanitarian assistance and facilitation of evacuations is what we do. Those against such actions are…
— Λετυμπιώτης Κων/νος (@letymbiotis) August 9, 2024
Earlier on Friday, left-wing opposition AKEL issued a statement expressing concern about the “concentration of US military forces” in Cyprus, both within and outside British bases.
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