Dhekelia British Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus: History, Purpose, and Units Stationed

Dhekelia (Greek: Δεκέλια, Turkish: Dekeli) is a British Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus. It is located in the island's southeast, near the town of Larnaca. The base covers an area of approximately 100 square kilometers and is home to around 3,000 British military personnel.

The history of Dhekelia dates back to 1960 when the UK and Greece signed an agreement allowing the UK to maintain military bases on the island. The base was established in 1965 and has been used for a variety of purposes over the years, including as a training ground for British forces and as a logistics hub for operations in the Middle East.

Today, Dhekelia is primarily used as a logistics base for British forces deployed in the region. It also serves as a key point of embarkation and debarkation for troops and equipment being deployed to and from the Middle East. The base is home to a number of units, including the Queen's Royal Lancers, the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment.

In addition to its military functions, Dhekelia also plays an important role in supporting humanitarian and disaster relief efforts in the region. In recent years, the base has been used as a staging post for aid deliveries and personnel deployments during crises such as the Syrian civil war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.