Mideast war: Switzerland refuses to allow US fly over territory

Switzerland said Saturday it had refused two US requests to fly over its territory in operations linked to the current Middle East war, citing its neutrality under international law.

“In total, two requests linked to the war in Iran were refused, while a maintenance flight and two requests for transport aircraft were approved” on Saturday, the government said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump fiercely criticised Britain at the start of the war for hesitating to let US forces use its bases, and later threatened Spain with trade measures for refusing to do so.

The two Swiss flight refusals concerned reconnaissance flights on March 15, the government said.

“The law of neutrality prohibits overflights by parties to a conflict for military purposes related to that conflict,” it said, citing the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Flights for humanitarian or medical purposes, including the transport of wounded people and flights unrelated to the conflict remain permitted, it said.

Switzerland has been officially recognised as a neutral country by the international community since 1815.

AFP

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