Mum 'living worst nightmare' after dad abducts son and takes him to Saudi Arabia

A mother has begged for the safe return of her seven-year-old son after he was taken to Saudi Arabia by his father.

Ranem Elkhalid has said she is fearful she will never see Ibrahim Faraj again after he was taken by his father Hamzah Faraj last November amidst a custody battle between the two.

She said she's living "any parent's worst nightmare" as she's been "trying everything" to get her son home.

Ranem last saw Ibrahim, who was born in the UK and only speaks English, when she dropped him off at the school gates in Warrington, on 11 November.

His father, Hamzah, was due to pick him up as agreed after school, but just a few days later she discovered he had been taken to Saudi Arabia by her estranged husband.

He is now being hunted by British police for child abduction after he broke a court order preventing him from taking Ibrahim outside of the UK.

Writing on Facebook about her son’s disappearance, Ranem said she wasn’t able to hug him and tell him she "loved him" before he was whisked away.

She said: "Since that moment, I have been trying everything and I’m still trying to bring him back here as there’s no life for him there.

“I didn’t even have the chance to hug him and let him know how much I love him.

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Court documents revealed how Ranem, a Palestinian national, had married Hamzah, a Saudi national when she was 16 and he was 24.

In 2014, they moved to England where Ibrahim was born, but the couple's relationship deteriorated and it completely broke down in June 2021.

They began custody proceedings in 2022, and fearing abduction, Ranem persuaded a judge to make an order stopping Hamzah from removing Ibrahim from the UK.

But nine days later Hamzah broke the order when he took Ibrahim from his school and brought him to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Ranem found out he was missing on 14 November after his school told her that he had not been attending lessons.

Court documents show that Hamzah is aware of the ongoing case but has not complied with its orders and has not returned his son to the UK.

He has also not allowed Ibrahim to have any contact with his mother and has not kept her informed about his welfare or his specific whereabouts.

A spokesperson from Cheshire Police confirmed that Hamzah is now wanted for child abduction for breaking the court's orders.

They said: "On Monday 14 November 2022, police received reports that a child had been taken out of the country by their father without permission from their mother.

"It was reported that seven-year-old Ibrahim Faraj had been taken to Saudi Arabia by his father, which was in breach of the custody order which was made at Liverpool Family Court on 3 November 2022.

"Following the reports officers have been engaging closely with both parents, but despite their best efforts he has not yet been returned to the UK.

"Therefore, the father of the child has now been circulated as wanted for child abduction on the national police database.

"All the appropriate authorities have been made aware and officers are continuing to do all they can to return the child to the UK."