Wildfires prompt Cyprus President to cut short Jordan visit

Cyprus' President Nikos Christodoulides cut short his visit to Jordan on Tuesday, where he was attending an international conference on Gaza, as uncontrolled wildfires rage in the western Paphos district, reported Xinhua.

The semi-governmental Cyprus News Agency (CNA) reported that Christodoulides's request for assistance from King Abdullah II of Jordan was met by Jordan's deployment of an unspecified number of aircraft, including two Jordanian helicopters, which are already aiding in the firefighting effort.

According to statements made by authorities, the fires are raging through a cluster of villages in a mountainous area. Three villages have already been evacuated.

Cyprus has asked for help from the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, Israel, and Greece.