The father, Cihan Ayyildiz, 28, a Turkish Kurdish national who also applied for asylum, said he was taking the child to the park but instead fled to the north. He was subsequently arrested for illegal entry and imprisoned.

Currently, the three-year-old child is under the care of the ‘social services’ in the north, while the mother has a made a plea to be reunited with her son.

“I have spoken to my son two times on the phone but it is very difficult. He is crying. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, I can’t drink.

“Everybody tells me I have to wait but this is my son.”

Diplomatic sources close to the matter told the Cyprus Mail that efforts were underway to try and help the mother, who has appealed to authorities of the Republic for help.

“This is not an easy case because the father is a Turkish national,” the source said. As such, ‘authorities’ may lean towards letting him keep their son as opposed to the mother, the source added.

It could very well be decided that the child remains under the ‘social service’s’ wing until the father’s court hearing which is slated for August 14.

There are also fears that should ‘court’ decide to deport him, the child may be sent to Turkey with him.

“The Republic of Cyprus is monitoring the situation via the bicommunal technical committee on crime,” deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou said.

Both parents came to south Cyprus from Turkey a year ago with their son, as their marriage was not accepted by the husband’s family.

They both requested asylum and stayed at the Pournara migrant reception centre before being transferred to Ayia Napa.

“I never thought this would happen,” Malikzada shared.

By around 4am the next morning, she went to the Famagusta police station to report her husband and son missing. She was later notified her husband had been arrested in the north.

Malikzada currently has temporary protection status, as her asylum application is being processed.

Going to the north would inevitably jeopardize her application.

The UNHCR has been informed of the case and is also monitoring the situation.

Cyprus Mail