**NICOSIA** - A substantial quantity of highly potent explosive material, amounting to 13.6 kilograms of TNT, has vanished from a military firing range in Kalo Chorio, Cyprus, sparking an urgent investigation by national authorities. The Cyprus Police, in conjunction with the National Guard and the Defence Ministry, are meticulously probing the disappearance, which occurred under circumstances that suggest either a deliberate act of theft or an inadvertent collection by individuals utilising metal detection equipment.
The alarming incident unfolded on Thursday, with drone footage confirming the presence of the TNT at approximately 2:00 PM. However, by 3:00 PM, the material was no longer accounted for. The discovery of its absence was formally reported on Friday, triggering immediate concern due to the inherent danger posed by unsecured explosives. A scheduled controlled detonation at the site, intended to take place on Thursday, was consequently cancelled.
Authorities are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, with Christodoulos Konsolos, a police spokesman, indicating that individuals involved in firing exercises at the Kalo Chorio range, as well as those with any connection to explosives handling, are being summoned for questioning. The Defence Ministry, meanwhile, is undertaking its own internal interrogations, underscoring the gravity with which the situation is being treated.
This unsettling event has inevitably drawn parallels to a similar, albeit larger-scale, explosives theft that transpired in 2012. In that instance, a significant cache of explosives was pilfered from National Guard stockpiles, some of which were reportedly transported from military warehouses located in Palodia. The previous incident culminated in the destruction of artillery shells, raising significant security concerns at the time. Investigators are now revisiting that case in an effort to identify any potential recurring security vulnerabilities within the armed forces.
The potential ramifications of the missing TNT are considerable. The Defence Ministry has issued a stern advisory to factory operators across the island, urging them to implement enhanced safety protocols and to exercise extreme vigilance. They have been specifically cautioned to be on heightened alert should the missing explosives materialise within their facilities. The Ministry has unequivocally stated that the unsecured detonation of such a quantity of TNT "poses great risk to human lives," a sentiment that has amplified public apprehension.
The disappearance highlights critical questions regarding the security of ammunition and explosive materials within the National Guard's inventory. While the exact method of the TNT's removal remains elusive, the possibility of it being collected by individuals equipped with metal detectors, perhaps searching for scrap metal, is a theory being actively explored. The absence of the explosives, left behind after the planned detonation was aborted, created a window of opportunity that investigators are working to understand fully. The ongoing investigation is a race against time to ensure the volatile material does not fall into the wrong hands or cause an unintended catastrophe.