Turkey has deployed six F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets and air defence systems to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the defence ministry said on Monday, citing heightened regional tensions linked to the war involving Iran. Ankara said the decision was intended to strengthen the security of the Turkish Cypriot community.
European powers have also increased military activity around Cyprus after a drone strike last week hit the British air base at RAF Akrotiri. Security officials believe the drone was launched by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
Turkey said additional measures could follow depending on developments in the region. The deployment drew criticism from Nikos Christodoulides, who described Turkey as an occupying power on the island, while Turkish officials insisted the move was purely defensive and aimed at maintaining the balance of power.
As stated by the defence ministry:
In the context of the latest developments in our region, six F-16 fighter jets and air defence systems have been deployed to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as of today. As a result of the evaluations to be made depending on the developments, additional measures will continue to be taken if necessary.