A 45-year-old man was arrested at Larnaca Airport after his two children, aged 16 and 7, returned to Cyprus following six months in Syria. What began as a short authorised holiday to Saudi Arabia escalated when the father took the children to Syria without informing or obtaining consent from their estranged mother. The children were received by Hope For Children and handed over to their mother upon arrival.

The father was remanded in custody for three days pending investigation after appearing in court on Tuesday. He admitted to altering travel plans without notifying the mother, citing fears of tension and opposition. The children reportedly expressed fear about their father’s behaviour while in Syria and had asked their mother to help bring them home.

The mother had filed a complaint in January 2026 after learning the children had not returned from Saudi Arabia as planned but were in Syria instead. Authorities are continuing the investigation into the father's actions and the circumstances surrounding the trip and the children's extended stay in Syria.