In Cyprus, two Lebanese men suspected of people smuggling were ordered to remain in police custody for six days after being identified as the drivers of two boats carrying 146 Syrian refugees and one Lebanese migrant. The suspects, aged 19 and 21, were detained as the vessels were spotted off Cape Greco. The refugees revealed they paid $2,500 each for passage from Tripoli, Lebanon, aboard the boats, with one carrying 30 people and the other 117, including women and minors. All migrants were taken to a reception center near Nicosia.
President Nikos Christodoulides urged the EU to consider establishing safe zones in parts of Syria to facilitate the return of refugees and migrants, stating it’s in the EU’s best interest. Cyprus, alongside like-minded EU nations, aims to initiate discussions on this matter to relieve pressure on Mediterranean countries receiving the most migrants. Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou announced efforts to collaborate with Europol to patrol the Lebanese coastline to deter migrant departures.
Despite an overall decrease in migrant arrivals to Cyprus last year, arrivals by boat from Syria and Lebanon saw a significant increase of 355%, with 4,259 arrivals in 2023 compared to 937 in 2022.
