NICOSIA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A task force of the United States army is stationed in Cyprus, but its presence is of a humanitarian nature, Cyprus Defense Minister Savvas Angelides said on Wednesday.
Angelides, who was commenting on a press report that 500 American soldiers have been deployed at an air base near a western city of Cyprus, said the American task force is on a humanitarian mission and not a military one.
The minister also said the number of American soldiers at the airbase is smaller than the number cited by the press, but he did not go into details.
He added that the United States requested facilities for a task force in Cyprus to help in the evacuation of American personnel from countries in Middle East after the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. drone attack in Iraq last month.
"The government spokesman had said in a written statement on Jan. 8 that Cyprus gave its consent for the temporary stationing on Cyprus of a task force on a humanitarian mission... The status and the mission (of the task force) have not changed in any way," Angelides emphasized.
"As Republic of Cyprus we intend to continue actions so as our country to be able to offer facilities for operations of a humanitarian nature, either by third countries or of the European Union," he added.
