Cyprus’ buffer zone remains fragile, UNSG warns in Unficyp report

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns in his latest report on Unficyp that the situation in Cyprus’ buffer zone remains fragile, with particular concern over the Pyla plateau, military activity along the ceasefire lines, Varosha, unauthorised civilian activity, and threats to peacekeepers. In observations released on Monday night, the UNSG welcomed the “recent positive engagement by the leaders with regard to the political process,” adding that “the regularity in which the leaders have met during the reporting period is also encouraging”. However, he said he regrets that “no progress has been made” in response to his “repeated calls for the sides to de-escalate the growing military modernisation along the respective ceasefire lines and to reverse their actions in and around the buffer zone”. He urged both sides “to cease their military construction violations,” warning that these actions “in effect seek to permanently alter the military status quo of the buffer zone”. Guterres was especially critical of the “policy of deliberately blurring the distinction between military and civilians by concealing military positions within civilian structures,” which he described as “a serious concern”. He also said that actions seeking “to advance military positions or otherwise alter facts on the ground” are “equally concerning,” stressing that “invoking the imbalance of forces on the island cannot justify violations.” He reiterated his call, as well as that of the Security Council, for both sides “to explore mechanisms for direct military contact” and encouraged them “to actively pursue avenues for dialogue with the facilitation of Unficyp”. “In their efforts to promote closer cooperation between the communities, local and international actors continue to be confronted with challenges and obstacles linked to the status of the north and concerns relating to “recognition”. While the United Nations policy is unchanged and decisions of the Security Council on the matter are strictly upheld, I reiterate that concerns about recognition should not in themselves constitute an obstacle to increased cooperation,” he said. Vehicles near Pyla amid reports of ‘tensions’ in April On Pyla the report is particularly direct. “The situation on the Pyla/Pile plateau remains of deep concern,” the UNSG said, reiterating “the need for all parties to respect and abide by the United Nations’ impartial delineation of the buffer zone — the only delineation recognised by the Security Council”. While Unficyp “plays an essential role in de-escalating tensions and in safeguarding the integrity of the buffer zone,” he noted that its ability “to curb unauthorised activity is limited without the full cooperation of the sides.” He stressed that “the sides have the responsibility to respect the integrity of the buffer zone and the UN’s mandated authority therein”. The report also contained a strong message on the safety of UN personnel. “Threats towards Unficyp peacekeepers are unacceptable,” Guterres said, calling on the Republic of Cyrus “to investigate the incident of armed hunters jeopardising the safety and security of peacekeepers,” as well as to follow up on accountability measures related to “the actions of the alien and immigration unit towards UN personnel during the 2024 pushbacks of asylum seekers into the buffer zone.” On Varosha, he reiterated concerns over “the situation in the fenced-off area” and “the lack of response to the Security Council’s call for a reversal of the actions taken since the announcement of the partial reopening of the fenced-off town in October 2020.” He also “deplored” restrictions on Unficyp’s freedom of movement “in Varosha, in Strovilia and elsewhere,” stressing that the mission’s mandate “is not limited to the buffer zone but extends to the entire island”. The Committee on Missing Persons also featured prominently in the report. During the reporting period, eight teams of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot scientists carried out bicommunal excavations across the island and identified seven individuals as missing persons. Since the Committee began operations in 2006, it has “exhumed or received the remains of 1,718 persons on both sides of the island”. Of the 2,002 missing persons on its official list, 1,076 have been formally identified. The report said 14 identifications were made during this period, 13 of them from the official list, while “the remains of two missing persons were returned to their families for dignified burials”. On civilian activity and law and order, Unficyp continued to manage authorised civilian activity while curbing unauthorised access in the buffer zone “to prevent possible security tensions.” Farming activity in Avlona resurfaced as a flashpoint. The report said that in several instances, Turkish forces “moved forward in the buffer zone” to protest two Greek Cypriot farmers whom they claimed were cultivating too close to the northern ceasefire line. It also said Turkish forces challenged the delineation of the buffer zone and intervened when Unficyp requested Turkish Cypriot farmers leave an area they had used for cultivation without authorisation. Unauthorised hunting also remained a serious concern. The report said hunting incidents involving firearms in the buffer zone continued “with high frequency” despite repeated Unficyp protests to the Republic of Cyprus. As of May 31, a total of 33 incidents had been recorded, including cases where shots were fired near UN personnel and premises. On February 15, three Greek Cypriot individuals “displayed intimidating behaviour and fired shots above peacekeepers, endangering their safety.” The report added that demarches to ensure accountability “have not been successful thus far.” On public order, Unficyp worked with both police services on May 1 to maintain order during a large bicommunal May Day march in the buffer zone, with over 1,200 participants from both communities. The Joint Contact Rooms, facilitated by Unficyp under the Technical Committee on Crime and Criminal Matters, continued to support “regular information exchange” and serve as “effective coordination mechanisms.” In Pyla, however, criminality linked to “11 illegal casinos and 1 nightclub persisted”. On the prevention of fighting and the military status quo, Unficyp recorded 166 military violations as of May 31: of which 46 were by the National Guard and 120 by the Turkish forces. The number represented a slight increase from the previous reporting period, though it remained “significantly lower than 2023 and 2024”. The report also highlighted the continuing installation of military-grade surveillance systems along the buffer zone. The National Guard added two new camera/sensor devices, bringing its total to 30 devices on 34 surveillance towers. Turkish forces installed five new devices, bringing their total to 71 devices on 64 towers. The report said these systems “remain a major concern for Unficyp” because they contribute to “the long-term militarisation along the buffer zone” and have “a potential destabilizing effect.” No steps were taken to reverse moves in Varosha, the report said In Varosha, however, the report said “no steps were taken” to address the Security Council’s call for the immediate reversal of actions taken since October 2020. Unficyp observed renovations, roadworks, more CCTV cameras, recurring commercial drone overflights, and the addition of four prefabricated concrete firing positions to a trench and berm system built by Turkish forces south of the built-up area of Varosha. Due to reduced resources, Unficyp adjusted patrolling patterns and increased joint, intelligence-led patrols focused on recurring hotspots. Liquidity constraints had a concrete impact, including a hiring freeze, temporary limits on aviation, deferred acquisitions, reduced training and constraints on official travel. The report warned that limitations on air assets affected the mission’s ability to conduct comprehensive aerial surveillance, noting that rotary-wing aviation remains “critical for early detection, situational awareness, and verification of violations”. In significant developments, the report says the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy continued efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus issue. The Personal Envoy travelled to Cyprus in January and June 2026 and met both President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman. The report also described the buffer zone as fragile, especially in Pyla, where Turkish Cypriot “police” imposed access restrictions from early February and detained, briefly, a Greek Cypriot individual. Tensions peaked on April 15, when Turkish Forces amassed a convoy of 15 armoured personnel vehicles on the northern ceasefire line and overmanned a nearby observation post with around 20 soldiers. As of the report’s writing, the situation was “calm but delicate.” The Secretary-General said in conclusion that it is “essential” that UN intergovernmental organs continue to support the mission with “adequate and predictable resources,” and expresses gratitude to Unficyp personnel for their “steadfast commitment” to the mandate and “the cause of peace on the island.”