UNFICYP says hunting prohibited in Cyprus buffer zone

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) announced that hunting in the buffer zone is not allowed, and that entering the buffer zone area in order to hunt is to run the risk of drawing fire from either of the opposing forces.

In view of the Small Game Hunting Season that starts on August 19, UNFICYP pointed out that hunters wearing camouflage outfits and carrying guns are easily mistaken for soldiers.
Firing guns in the area between the ceasefire lines increases tension because soldiers on duty cannot immediately determine where the shots have come from and may feel obliged to react, it says.
It added that, in the past, some hunters with loaded weapons have proved to be a hazard to each other and to UNFICYP patrols in the buffer zone, noting that in general UNFICYP wishes to remind hunters of the need to conduct themselves in a responsible fashion, both for their own safety and for that of others they might come into contact with. UNFICYP has appealed to all hunters to exercise caution and the highest standards of safety during this upcoming hunting season.