Repeated alarms at the British Bases in Akrotiri, which sounded three times within a few hours without a confirmed threat, are keeping residents of the Akrotiri community unsettled and delaying a return to normality. At the same time, during meetings with UK Defence Secretary John Healey and Cyprus Minister of Public Order Konstantinos Fytiris, local authorities raised requests for shelters, evacuation planning and support for displaced residents.
Residents in Akrotiri had hoped that as days passed the crisis would ease and life would return to normal. Instead, they appear to be learning to live with the sound of sirens. Within less than 24 hours, the alarm system in the military area of the British Bases sounded three times, although no object was identified that was actually targeting the Bases.
Unlike the first incident in the early hours of Monday, when sirens sounded for hours, the three recent alerts lasted only a few minutes and did not require fighter jets to take off from the base for interception.
Ongoing disruption for residents
The situation continues to disrupt the local community, as conditions do not yet appear to allow residents to return fully to their homes.
Officially, the evacuation status of the village remains in effect until midday today. However, it is expected that a decision will be taken to extend the directive at least until Monday midday, in line with decisions by the British Bases authorities.
No official decision has yet been announced, with statements expected later today following meetings among the relevant authorities. Until then, although the village remains under evacuation, hundreds of residents continue to visit the community, mainly during morning hours, while the number of those remaining fluctuates depending on developments.
False alarms linked to heightened readiness
The growing number of alarms that do not correspond to an actual threat is creating a sense of distrust among residents, with some commenting that the meaning of the alarm has been diminished.
Since Wednesday evening, sirens have sounded on three separate occasions. The first occurred shortly before 23:00 on Wednesday night, followed by another at 12:20 on Thursday and again at 16:27 in the afternoon.
In the latter two cases, the alarms sounded while the UK Defence Secretary was present inside the Akrotiri base.
Sources speaking to Politis attribute the alarms to the very high level of readiness among the forces deployed in the area. Any detection triggers security systems, leading to what are described as false alarms or false positives.
Regarding Wednesday night’s incident, when an object was detected three miles from the bases, it appears that it was not a hostile drone and that the alarm was activated due to miscommunication.
Meetings with local authorities
UK Defence Secretary John Healey, who visited the Akrotiri Bases yesterday, also met the mayor and deputy mayor of Akrotiri to discuss the situation in the area.
Local authority representatives stressed the need to create shelters and improve evacuation planning due to the community’s proximity to the Bases. They also expressed concerns about the lack of full coverage of accommodation costs for vulnerable groups and families with young children who were forced to leave their homes.
The UK Defence Secretary assured them that the Bases would cover accommodation costs from last Monday until the coming Monday for vulnerable groups. He also requested that a meeting be held after the crisis subsides in order to record the community’s requests.
Visit by Cyprus minister of public order
Cyprus Minister of Public Order Konstantinos Fytiris also visited Akrotiri yesterday and held a meeting at the municipal district offices with local authorities and civil personnel from the British Bases.
During the meeting, he conveyed a message of reassurance and coordination aimed at restoring normality. The visit marked the first time a government minister had travelled to Akrotiri since Monday.