UK grants refugees residency after 20 years on Cyprus base

The families from Ethiopia, Iraq, Sudan and Syria were abandoned by people smugglers off the coast of Cyprus in 1998

A woman, right, walks as a man, left, is silhouetted as he sits on a bench outside of the Selimiye mosque, known as the Cathedral of St Sophia until the 16th century, or Agia Sofia, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A woman, right, walks as a man, left, is silhouetted as he sits on a bench outside of the Selimiye mosque in Nicosia, Cyprus, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. AP

Associated Press

Dec 04, 2018

Britain has granted permanent residency to a group of refugees who have been stranded for 20 years at a UK military base in Cyprus.

The Leigh Day law company that represents the refugees said on Monday that the government settled the case involving 31 members of six families just before it was to be heard by the Supreme Court.

The families were among a larger group from Ethiopia, Iraq, Sudan and Syria whose boat was abandoned by people smugglers off the coast of Cyprus in 1998. Until now, Britain has refused to admit the families because it contends the UN Refugee Convention doesn't apply to its bases in Cyprus.

The Home Office says the government decided to bring the long fight to an end due to the "highly unusual circumstances".

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A divided Cyprus - in pictures

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