UK To Hand Over Chagos Islands To Mauritius
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The governments of Britain and Mauritius have reached a final deal to settle the future of the Chagos Islands but have been barred from signing it by a British judge.
The UK agreed to cede an Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius while retaining control of a strategic military base on one of the islands, ending a long-running negotiation that had become a point of controversy for British premier Keir Starmer.
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.