Chagos Archipelago, Mauritius
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Britain signed a deal handing over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius on Thursday in exchange for securing a strategically important UK-US military base.
Britain has signed a deal with Mauritius to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands while retaining control of the Diego Garcia airbase under a 99-year lease. Despite legal challenges and political criticism,
Several American fighter jets have been deployed to a secretive UK - US base in the Indian Ocean to protect assets there, according to reports. Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands which the UK controversially plans to hand over to Mauritius, is home to aircraft including long-range American B-52 Stratofrotress bombers.