Cyprus

No progress was reported in 2023 towards the Republic of Cyprus (Cyprus) and Türkiye/the Turkish Cypriot authorities agreeing to complete mine clearance on the island, and for a fourth consecutive year no mined area was released.

The extent of anti-personnel (AP) mined area in Cyprus remains unclear, but available data indicates that the only remaining contamination is in the north of the island, in areas of mixed AP and anti-vehicle (AV) mines and on territory not under the effective control of the government of the Republic of Cyprus. There has been no progress in clearance or other land release since 2019.

Cyprus reported clearing all AP mines from territory under its control by its initial Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APBMC) Article 5 deadline in July 2013. It has requested five extensions to its Article 5 deadline in total, including two since 2019, because it does not have effective control over the areas in question. The most recent reported release of mined area was in 2019 when 18 suspected hazardous areas (SHAs – nine under the effective control of Cyprus and nine under the control of the Turkish Cypriot authorities), none of them AP mined areas, were declared mine-free.Cyprus Article 5 deadline Extension Request, Additional Information, 11 August 2021. The United Nations Security Council has consistently urged the two sides to agree on “a plan of work to achieve a mine-free Cyprus”.UN Security Council Resolution 2723, 30 January 2024, operative para. 19.

• Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot authorities should both work to achieve a mine-free Cyprus and make progress towards releasing the 29 remaining hazardous areas on the island.UN Security Council Resolution 2723, 30 January 2024, operative para. 19.
• Cyprus and the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) should update, consolidate, and align data on remaining mined areas.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2024" report for Cyprus.