What Are the Chagos Islands and the Diego Garcia Base?
AI Summary
The Chagos Islands, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, are at the center of a dispute between Britain and Mauritius. Britain controlled the islands since the colonial era and expelled the inhabitants in the 1960s to build a joint military base with the U.S. on Diego Garcia, the largest island. Mauritius, independent since 1968, has claimed sovereignty over the islands. In 2024, Britain agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, following legal pressure and an International Court of Justice ruling. The agreement allows the U.S. and Britain to continue operating the Diego Garcia base for 99 years, which is strategically important for serving U.S. Navy ships and refueling long-range bombers in the Indian Ocean.
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