A hostage crisis in central Larnaca ended successfully on Wednesday afternoon after police negotiators persuaded a man to release two women he was holding at knifepoint.
The standoff began around 3:35 pm at an apartment block on Polygyrou Street. A man from Cameroon, who was reportedly a visitor at the flat, held two African women hostage on a balcony for over two hours. Witnesses said the man’s shouts could be heard throughout the neighbourhood, causing widespread alarm.
According to police sources, the suspect at one point held a knife to the throat of one of the women while she was on the floor.
Larnaca CID Chief George Charalambous said officers rushed to the scene following a report from a local resident. “A man in a state of frenzy was holding two African women hostage on an apartment balcony and threatening them with a knife,” Charalambous said.
High-strength police units cordoned off the area and evacuated nearby residents. Negotiators from Larnaca were later joined by specialists from Nicosia and a counter-terrorism team.
“During the negotiations, police first secured the release of one woman and subsequently rescued the second,” Charalambous stated, noting that the victims suffered only minor injuries. Both women were taken to hospital as a precaution.
The suspect was arrested at the scene and taken to Larnaca CID for questioning. Charalambous said the man appeared unable to communicate or explain his motives at the time of his arrest.
Local residents, who had been told to stay back during the operation, broke into applause as the women were led to safety and the suspect was taken into custody.