Errant missile from Syria-Israel clash lands on Cyprus
An errant missile struck Cyprus early on Monday, skimming
the densely populated capital Nicosia and crashing on a mountainside in what
authorities described as a spillover from strikes between Israel and Syria.
The explosion occurred around 1 a.m. (2200 GMT Sunday) in
the region of Tashkent, also known as Vouno, some 20 kms (12 miles) northeast
of Nicosia, with the impact starting a fire and heard for miles around.
There were no casualties. But it caused widespread concern
on both sides of the ethnically-split island and brought calls for warring
parties to respect their neighbors’ safety.
An Israeli air strike was underway against Syria at the
time. Syrian state media said the Syrian air defenses had fired in response.
“It is understood that a missile fired from Syria fell here
by accident, as a result of being fired in an uncontrolled way by batteries...
in response to the intense attacks yesterday evening by Israel,” Kudret
Ozersay, the Turkish Cypriot foreign minister, told a news conference.
“Based on our initial assessment, it is the remains of a
missile which is known as S-200 in the Russian system and SA-5 in the NATO
system,” he added.
In a Facebook post earlier, Ozersay said the explosion was
thought to have occurred before impact because there were no craters, and
debris was found at several different points.
Cyprus lies west of Syria, and the impact site about 50
kilometers (31 miles) inland.
Israeli warplanes fired missiles targeting Syrian military
positions in Homs – around 310 kilometers (193 miles) from Nicosia – and the
Damascus outskirts overnight in an attack that killed at least four civilians
and wounded another 21.
“BEHAVE CALMLY”
The freak incident was the first time that Cyprus has been
caught in the crosshairs of military operations in the Middle East despite its
proximity.
“Undoubtedly we invite Syria, Israel and another countries
in the region to take into account the human and material security of
neighboring countries, to take the necessary measures and for everyone to
behave calmly,” said Ozersay, who is also deputy prime minister of the
breakaway Turkish Cypriot state recognized only by Ankara.
The incident was a wake-up call to islanders, said
UniteCyprusNow, a pro-unity group.
“The illusion that a permanent division on land... will
protect us from crises has been shattered with the missile that landed on our
head last night,” it said.
Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by
a brief Greek-inspired coup.
The aging S-200 is a surface to air missile which analysts
said could have a range of up to 400 kilometers (249 miles).
It is one of the precursors of the S-400, the missile system
Turkey plans to buy from Russia and which has rattled relations with
Washington.
Residents told Cypriot media they saw a light in the sky
then three loud explosions were heard for miles around, which many initially
thought was a plane crash.
Tashkent is a small village in the foothills of a mountain
range rimming northern Cyprus. Authorities evacuated some homes.