Article author:
Associated Press
Cyprus, Nicosia (AP) —Israel will send two fire-fighting aircraft on Thursday to burn down at least 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) of forest at the foot of the Pentadaktylos Mountains on the breakaway. Assisted in the fight against large-scale flames. Ethnically divided north of Cyprus.
Two Israeli aircraft have joined another two planes and helicopters sent by the Cyprus government to fight the flames through the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces (UNFICYP) in Cyprus. .. Nation.
Aircraft from two British military bases in Turkey, the United Nations, and the island are also cooperating in firefighting operations.
Cyprus split in 1974, when Turkey invaded following a coup aimed at coalition with Greece. Only Turkey has granted the Declaration of Independence of Turkish Cyprus, and Turkish Cypriots have denied the internationally recognized Cypriot government's authority over the northern third of the island.
Niovi Parissinou, Deputy Spokesperson for the Government of Cyprus, told the state-owned Cyprus News Agency that government officials are "always ready and willing to respond" to requests for assistance. Despite the island's complex politics, this kind of "fire diplomacy" shows rivals' willingness to work together to deal with natural disasters.
Cyprus Forestry Director Charalambos Alexandrou said two Israeli aircraft first landed at Larnaca Airport in the south and then airdropped into areas affected by the fire in the north. I told CNA to start.
Turkish Cyprus leader Ersin Tatar jumped over the disaster area on Thursday to investigate the extent of the damage. He told BRTTV of Turkish Cyprus that he wanted full control of the flames with the help of Greek Cyprus and Israeli aircraft.
The Tatars said the flames threatened the three villages, but residents used tractors to clean up the brushes around the house and prevent the fire from spreading. It seems that the fire started when the car outside the village house burned.
