Two Syrian nationals are facing the revocation of their asylum status and deportation proceedings following an assault on three Israeli tourists in central Nicosia, the deputy migration ministry said on Friday.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, the deputy ministry clarified that “the two individuals involved in the incident are Syrian nationals” following media reports that had described the suspects as “Palestinian”.

Three Israeli nationals reported being attacked on Thrakis Street near Kallipoleos Avenue on Tuesday night.

According to police, one of the victims sustained an injury to the ear and received medical treatment.

Two men were subsequently arrested and taken to Nicosia CID headquarters for questioning as investigators sought to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether any racial motive was involved.

Deputy migration minister Nicholas Ioannides announced that procedures had begun to revoke the asylum status of the two men.

Speaking to Phileleftheros, he said the government would take a strict approach to criminal offences committed by individuals granted international protection.

“Foreign nationals who do not respect the country that hosts them by engaging in criminal behaviour will face consequences and have their asylum status revoked,” Ioannides said.

Cyprus has recently moved to accelerate the return of Syrian asylum applicants following a series of court rulings and policy changes concerning removals.

Earlier this year, the International Protection Administrative Court upheld multiple decisions rejecting asylum claims by Syrian nationals and confirmed accompanying return orders.

The rulings cleared the way for authorities to proceed with deportations once legal appeals had been exhausted.

The court found that the applicants in those cases no longer met the requirements for refugee status under national law or indeed the Geneva Convention and concluded that they would “not face a serious and personal threat solely because of their return to Syria”.

Israeli Ambassador to Cyprus Oren Anolik condemned the attack, stating that the victims had been targeted because of their “visibly Jewish appearance”.

He described the incident as “an act of antisemitism”.