The recent drone strike on RAF Akrotiri has pushed the UK’s Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) in the Republic of Cyprus to the forefront of the news and raised questions about their continuing status as a British Overseas Territory (BOT). On 1 March, a Shahed‑type drone believed to have been launched by Hezbollah struck the runway at Akrotiri, causing minimal damage. This was followed by the interception of two further drones heading towards the base. In response, the nearby Akrotiri village was evacuated and families living at the base were moved to temporary accommodation in Cyprus. On 3 March, UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer revealed that the UK was deploying two Wildcat helicopters equipped with counter-drone systems and sending the air‑defence destroyer HMS Dragon to the region.

The attacks on the base provoked two-fold criticism of the UK by the Cypriot government. Firstly, the Cypriot High Commissioner to the UK said his government was “disappointed” at the amount of information shared with residents in the SBAs (who are Cypriot) after the drone attack. Secondly, the Cypriots were unhappy that the base was being used for military purposes, arguing that an earlier statement by Starmer on 1 March lacked clear assurance that the SBAs would be used only for humanitarian purposes. According to reports, Cyprus had asked that the UK restrict the use of the bases to humanitarian activities only. In response to a question as to whether Cyprus would seek to renegotiate the status of the bases, the Cypriot spokesperson said, “in this context, we not ruling anything out”. So, the key questions are why does the UK have bases in Cyprus, how do they operate, and is there a risk that Cyprus might request that the land be returned?

When Cyprus became independent in August 1960, the UK retained Akrotiri and Dhekelia under full British sovereignty, together covering just under 100 square miles (approximately 3% of the island). This arrangement was a non‑negotiable British requirement in the independence talks, intended to secure a continuing UK strategic presence in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Treaty of Establishment remains the key document setting out the legal status of the SBAs and how it operates. The UK’s approach to governance set out in ‘Appendix O’ of the Treaty, emphasises three principles: ensuring the effective use of the SBAs for military purposes, cooperating fully with Cyprus, and protecting the interests of those who live or work within the Areas.

Originally, the boundaries of the SBAs were drawn to incorporate the military installations while avoiding towns and villages. However, three Cypriot enclaves are located within the Dhekelia SBA, and approximately 12,000 Cypriots now live inside the Areas. Around 60% of SBA land is privately owned and........

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