United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus

Türkiye has expressed its discontent with the recent decision by the U.N. to extend the mandate of its peacekeeping force in Cyprus "without consulting the Turkish Cypriot side."

UN peacekeepers on the ethnically divided island of Cyprus are reportedly keeping a close eye on recent Turkish Cypriot activity in the buffer zone between the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish-occupied north, following tension in August over Turkish Cypriot efforts to build a road traversing United Nations-controlled territory.

The European Commission condemned on Tuesday an assault on UN peacekeepers by Turkish Cypriot security personnel inside the UN buffer zone dividing Cyprus last Friday.

The UN Security Council on Monday called unauthorized construction by Turkish Cypriots inside the UN buffer zone dividing Cyrus a violation of the status quo that is contrary to council resolutions and it condemned their assault on UN peacekeepers.

Turkey's president on Monday criticized UN peacekeepers for blocking the construction of a road in ethnically divided Cyprus, calling the action "unacceptable" and accusing the peacekeeping force of bias against Turkish Cypriots.

Turkish Cypriot authorities have announced the continuation of road construction plans aimed at linking the ethnically mixed Pyla village in the buffer zone with the mainland, following a recent altercation with United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping forces in the region.

The authorities in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus must "immediately withdraw all personnel and equipment from the UN buffer zone," three members of the US Congress have said, after Turkish Cypriots assaulted a number of international peacekeepers for obstructing construction teams building a road that would encroach on the buffer zone.

UN peacekeepers on Cyprus have condemned an assault on its personnel and damage to its vehicles "by personnel from the Turkish Cypriot side" on Friday morning.

In a statement, the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) said the incident took place inside the buffer zone near Pyla as its peacekeepers blocked unauthorized construction work in the area.

The UN mission in ethnically divided Cyprus said Thursday it will block construction by Turkish Cypriots of a road that would encroach on a UN-controlled buffer zone and likely raise tensions on the Mediterranean island nation.

Cyprus authorities say they're take extra efforts to ensure flight safety isn't compromised from Turkish warplanes and military drones flying inside Cypriot-monitored airspace without filing either flight plans or communicating with air traffic control.