UK media reports about ‘terrified Britons’ ready to ‘flee Cyprus’ in the run-up and immediate aftermath of air strikes on Syrian government targets from the RAF base at Akrotiri early Saturday were described as scaremongering by officials on Monday. “In our view the bases are an anachronism and their role should be raised with the British government.”

Four Tornadoes took off at 3am local time on Saturday with eight storm shadow missiles for a strike against a chemical weapons factory west of Homs. Prodromos Prodromou, the Cypriot government spokesman, said that while Nicosia had not been forewarned, May had reassured Anastasiades that the Cyprus would not be endangered by what she described as “limited use of the bases”. “The Authorities of the Republic of Cyprus have been monitoring the situation from the first moment, however, Cyprus did not receive any prior briefing,” Prodromou said. The government of Cyprus is facing strong criticism after use an RAF base on the island in US-led airstrikes against Syria, with protestors demonstrating outside the facility before a “mass anti-war” rally in Nicosia.
An improvised explosive device damages a shopfront in Limassol, Cyprus.