Country Report on Terrorism 2023 - Chapter 1 - Cyprus

Overview:  The Republic of Cyprus (ROC) collaborated closely with the United States bilaterally and as a member of the EU, as well as with other countries on international counterterrorism efforts, in 2023.  Since 1974, the island of Cyprus has been de facto divided into the ROC government-controlled area in the southern two thirds of the island and the northern third administered by Turkish Cypriots.  A UN Peacekeeping force patrols a buffer zone, also called the Green Line, which separates the two sides.  The buffer zone is largely open to civilian traffic and remains a significant route for the illicit transit of people, narcotics, and other contraband.  The division of the island has impeded counterterrorism cooperation between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities and between the ROC and Türkiye, which do not maintain diplomatic relations.  This report covers only the areas under the control of the ROC. It does not address terrorism or counterterrorism efforts in the area under the administration of Turkish Cypriots.

2023 Terrorist Incidents:  There were no reported terrorist incidents in the ROC-controlled portions of Cyprus in 2023.  According to December media reports, the ROC and Israel cooperated to foil an Iranian-ordered attack against Israelis and Jews in Cyprus.  While neither the ROC nor Israel provided details, media reported two individuals were believed to be in the early stages of gathering intelligence on potential Israeli targets, having crossed into the ROC government controlled-area from the Turkish Cypriot-controlled area in the North.  In a statement, Israel’s Mossad intelligence service noted concerns about Iranian use of the North of Cyprus “both for terrorism objectives and as an operational and transit area.”

Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security:  There were no changes in 2023 to the Cypriot legal system as it pertains to counterterrorism.  ROC authorities have taken enhanced security measures to prevent terrorist actions following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.  The Cyprus National Police conducted increased patrols at airports, harbors, marinas, and ports; assessed high-threat targets – mostly of Israeli and U.S. interests – and provided frequent patrols; provided a police presence at all synagogues in Larnaca, Limassol, and Paphos; increased police coverage at the Israeli Embassy; placed officers during working hours of 28 schools identified as high-threat targets; and increased beat/foot patrols in various locations, including Eleftherias Square in Nicosia and Molos in Limassol.

Countering the Financing of Terrorism:  The ROC is a member of MONEYVAL (the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism), and its Financial Intelligence Unit, the Unit for Combating Money Laundering (MOKAS), is a member of the Egmont Group.

In 2023 the ROC launched an effort to establish a National Sanctions Implementation Unit to strengthen domestic sanctions enforcement.  The Council of Ministers appointed a National Point of Contact for Sanctions Implementation on June 28.  In addition to strengthening sanctions enforcement, this unit will help reduce risks associated with the financing of terrorism.  In December, MOKAS published its first-ever Strategic Analysis Report for Red Flags, analyzing anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism trends for 2020-22.  The report noted that most of the suspicious transaction reports submitted to MOKAS concerning terrorism finance originated from credit institutions, followed by investment firms, and other financial services.

Countering Violent Extremism:  There were no significant changes in Cyprus’s CVE efforts in 2023.

International and Regional Cooperation:  Cyprus participates in regional and multinational counterterrorism exercises with partners including Egypt, Greece, Israel, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  Cyprus has been a member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS since 2014 and participates in the Coalition’s FTF Working Group.