Ankara’s drone lands on Turkish Cyprus for energy exploration – official

A Turkish drone meant to seek hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean landed at an airport on the disputed island of Cyprus on Monday, a Turkish official said. The breakaway Turkish Cypriot cabinet on Friday designated the Gecitkale airport on the island as a base for the drones, according to Demiroren news agency. It said unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), both armed and unarmed, would begin operations on Monday.

Cyprus, an EU member, was divided in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. It has argued with Turkey for years over the ownership of fossil fuels in the eastern Mediterranean.

On Monday, the head of Turkey’s Defense Industry Directorate Ismail Demir said the first unarmed Turkish drone took off from an airport in Turkey’s western province of Mugla and landed at Gecitkale airport at 0700 GMT, Reuters reports.

Ankara began seeking oil and gas off the coast of Cyprus earlier this year, while the EU called the activities illegal. Turkey says that some areas in which Greek Cypriot ships operate are either on its continental shelf, or in areas where the Turkish Cypriot state has rights over any finds.