Cyprus sends aircraft to help fight fires in Turkish north of island

The Republic of Cyprus has sent two aircraft to help fight a fire in the Turkish-occupied north of the island.

The aircraft were dispatched to fight the fire in the east of Famagusta near the village of Flamoudi (Mersinlink) the chairman of the Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Committee, Huseyin Cahitoglu told local media last week.

According to the Northern Cyprus newspaper Yeniduzen, the Greek-Cypriot aircraft were among six fixed-wing aircraft and five helicopters also supplied by Israel, Turkey, the United Nations and Britain to fight the fires raging in difficult mountain terrain.

The newspaper said that the Republic of Cyprus provided aerial fire-fighting support to the Turkish northern administration and it was awaiting a request from Turkish Cypriots to send firefighters to fight the fire on the ground.

The Republic of Cyprus’ director of the Forestry Department, Charalambos Alexandrou said that a team of 40 firefighters was ready to provide support on the ground.

According to Associated Press, the Greek Cypriot government sent the aircraft after a request was made by Turkish Cypriot administration through the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.