An alarm was raised on Wednesday morning in Limassol following a report of the abduction of a child by their 29‑year‑old Turkish father, who is alleged to have entered the government‑controlled areas illegally via the north, forcibly taken the child from the mother and then fled back to the north.
According to statements by Assistant Police Director of Limassol, Lefteris Kyriakou, the 35‑year‑old British mother reported that around 7.50 am her former partner entered the residence where she lives in Limassol district, accompanied by a second individual. She claimed that the 29‑year‑old pushed her and snatched the child before fleeing in a small white vehicle of a specific make.
Authorities were immediately mobilised, and investigations indicate that the suspect may have returned to the north shortly after the abduction with the assistance of his accomplice. The bicommunal Technical Committee on Crime has also been informed, as investigations continue into the circumstances under which the 29‑year‑old managed to cross into the government‑controlled areas without being detected, despite the fact that he had already been wanted since November 2025 in connection with a domestic violence case. The most likely scenario is that he crossed through an uncontrolled point, where a second individual was waiting to transport him in a rental vehicle.
Police confirmed that an arrest warrant was already pending against him following a complaint by his former partner for incidents of domestic violence. That case was reported when the 35‑year‑old moved from the north to the government‑controlled areas. The 29‑year‑old and the woman had been living together in the north, but in November the woman relocated to the government‑controlled areas and lodged a violence complaint against him.
Particularly striking is the fact that the child’s mother is enrolled in the “Elpis” programme, which allows victims of violence to alert the police immediately in danger situations by pressing a special panic button. However, according to information available, the system was not utilised during the incident.
At the same time, investigators are examining a video allegedly posted by the 29‑year‑old on social media, showing him together with the child inside a vehicle. Authorities believe the footage was likely recorded in the north, reinforcing suspicions that the suspect has already escaped beyond the control of the Republic of Cyprus.
Police continue investigations to locate the vehicle and examine all aspects of the case, while a new arrest warrant is expected to be issued against the 29‑year‑old, this time in connection with the abduction of a minor.
