Newsroom
A brazen armed attack on a restaurant owner in occupied Nicosia has shaken the Turkish Cypriot community, raising fresh concerns over security and organized crime in the north.
The victim, Ahmet Keskin, was shot in the legs inside his restaurant on Saturday, while customers were present. He remains in intensive care. Authorities acted swiftly, arresting the suspected shooter, Muharem Lermi, at the illegal Tymbou airport just hours later as he attempted to board a flight to Turkey. A second man, allegedly the one who supplied the firearm, has also been taken into custody.
According to Turkish Cypriot media, Lermi had entered the north on a tourist visa. The weapon used—a Glock—was the same type used in an attack on the Avrupa newspaper six years ago. The paper further reports that the attack may be linked to the notorious gang of Ismet Felek, known for extorting business owners, particularly in the Famagusta area.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the local business community. Another businessman, Rafe Ozerman, reportedly received a chilling phone call after the attack, warning that he was next.
Escalating Violence and Security Gaps
This is just the latest in a string of violent incidents in the occupied territories involving foreign hitmen. In the past seven months alone, four individuals have been arrested for entering the north with alleged intentions to attack or kill businessmen.
Concerns over lax border controls are mounting, with reports highlighting how criminals from abroad are using the occupied territories as a staging ground for targeted violence. In January, authorities intercepted a man at the port of Famagusta who had reportedly planned to assassinate a businessman in Kyrenia.
With crime networks seemingly expanding their influence, many in the Turkish Cypriot community are questioning whether authorities can curb the growing wave of violence—or if the north is becoming a safe haven for organized crime.
