A girl stands in front of a tent at a camp inside the UN controlled buffer zone that divide the north part of the Turkish occupied area from the south Greek Cypriots at Aglantzia area in the divided capital Nicosia, Friday. [AP]
The United Nations refugee agency has called on the government authorities in Cyprus to process asylum seekers who have been pushed back inside a UN-controlled buffer zone after crossing to seek asylum. As many as 99 asylum seekers, including minors and survivors of gender-based violence, have been left stranded in extreme conditions for nearly three months. Despite efforts to supply them with basic necessities, their physical and psychological well-being is deteriorating.
Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004, is facing challenges in managing migrant crossings along the buffer zone. The government insists on preventing illegal migration through the buffer zone, leading to a standoff with the UNHCR and human rights lawyers. The issue highlights the complexities of border management and international obligations regarding asylum claims.