The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) expressed deep concern on Friday over the actions of Cypriot authorities, who have reportedly rounded up dozens of migrants and pushed them back into the U.N.-controlled buffer zone after they crossed into Cyprus to seek asylum.
According to UNHCR spokeswoman Emilia Strovolidou, as many as 99 asylum seekers were “pushed back” into the buffer zone between mid-May and August 8. The agency is currently working to resolve the situation, urging Cypriot authorities to process the migrants’ asylum claims and establish procedures to prevent further incidents of migrants being stranded in the buffer zone.
The migrants entered the European Union member state from the Turkish Cypriot-controlled north and crossed the buffer zone into the south, where they intended to apply for asylum with the internationally recognized government. Of the 99 migrants, 76, including 18 minors—six of whom are unaccompanied—remain stranded in two locations within the buffer zone, to the west and east of the capital, Nicosia. The group comprises individuals from various countries, including Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, Bangladesh, Sudan, Iraq, and Gaza.
Despite the U.N.’s efforts to provide aid—such as military food rations, tents, blankets, toilets, and washing facilities—the migrants are still exposed to extreme heat, dust, and humidity, which is taking a toll on their physical and mental well-being. Strovolidou highlighted that some of the migrants are survivors of gender-based violence and trafficking, while others are suffering from serious health issues, including cancer, asthma, and mental health conditions.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Although Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, only the southern part of the island enjoys full membership benefits. The buffer zone, which spans 180 kilometers (120 miles) and separates the north from the south, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing migration crisis.
Aleem Siddique, spokesperson for the U.N. peacekeeping force in Cyprus, called for an immediate end to the “pushbacks” and urged Cypriot authorities to fulfill their obligations under international and EU law.
Siddique noted that in nearly all cases, the asylum seekers were intercepted by Cyprus Police after crossing into government-controlled areas and forcibly returned to the buffer zone after their passports and mobile phones were confiscated. The U.N. has provided video evidence of these “pushback operations” to Cypriot authorities.
“The buffer zone is not a refugee camp,” Siddique emphasized, underscoring the inappropriateness of the current situation.
Cypriot authorities have adopted a strict stance on migrant crossings through the buffer zone, insisting that they will not allow it to become a gateway for illegal migration. Deputy Minister for Migration Nicholas Ioannides stated earlier this week that the government is not seeking conflict with the U.N. and is in discussions with the UNHCR to resolve the issue.
The complexity of the situation is compounded by the unique nature of the buffer zone, which is not recognized as a formal border. As such, Cypriot authorities have argued that the U.N.’s claims of “pushbacks” do not apply to expulsions at recognized sea or land borders.
In a written statement to the Associated Press, the Cypriot Ministry of Migration explained that the migrants who cross the buffer zone originally arrive on the island’s north from Turkey—a country considered safe—and then move southward through remote areas of the porous buffer zone where no physical barriers prevent crossings.
