Politis

New Arrests in Occupied Cyprus Over Armed Attack on Car Dealership

Published January 8, 2026, 17:19
New Arrests in Occupied Cyprus Over Armed Attack on Car Dealership

Another man, aged 40, has been arrested in the occupied territories and placed in custody for one day in connection with the armed attack on a car dealership, which resulted in two people being injured. A 17-year-old Turkish citizen from Gaziantep is already in custody for two days, having refused to testify during the hearing. According to the Turkish Cypriot press, the 17-year-old had been in the occupied territories for a week and was planning the attack. The company owners report that they had received threatening messages from phone numbers from Turkey, Belarus and England, which they had reported to the “police”. The company owner claims to have identified the sender of the threatening messages, who is allegedly linked to individuals in prisons in Cyprus and Turkey, and that they directed the attack. The case has raised concerns about security in the occupied territories and the effectiveness of the authorities. The “Minister of Interior” of the occupied territories assured that the region is safe and that criminal organizations will not be allowed to operate, while stating that most attacks have been solved and the suspects have been arrested. However, this case highlights the need to strengthen security measures and controls at the entrances to the occupied territories.