A distraught mum-of-three has begged her ex-husband to "do the right thing" after he fled the UK having allegedly abducted their kids.
Dawn Daley, 44, hasn't heard from Khalid Aljehani, nine, Aasiyah, seven, and four-year-old Maimunha for over three months.
Fares Aljehani came to pick them up from their home in Wythenshawe, Manchester in July for a holiday to North Yorkshire - but never returned.
Without her knowledge, the Libyan national allegedly flew to Tunisia with the three children and his new wife Samiyah.
The kids were reported missing to police on August 10 after they failed to return home. Five months on the distraught mother has made a fresh appeal.
The youngsters are at the centre of private litigation in the Family Division of the High Court in London, reports Manchester Evening News.
Mr Aljehani plotted a ruse to take the kids on holiday, but instead "clandestinely" boarded a flight to his home country of Libya, a High Court Judge has said.
But Mrs Daley is no closer to being reunited with them as she begged for her ex to bring the kids home.
"Fares, I urge you to do the right thing and bring the children home where they belong," she said. "It's been over three months since I last heard from my babies.
"I can only imagine what’s going through their little minds. I could understand you're doing what you have done if I ever restricted you having a relationship with them, but this is something I would never do as I believe children need both parents in their lives.
"All I've been told is that the children are fine but I haven't seen them or spoken to them since July 30. I just need to see them. It would be easier to deal with this situation if there had been any kind of communication but I've had nothing at all.
"I know they love their dad but they are going to be wondering where their mum is. I have absolutely no idea how they are coping."
Greater Manchester Police told the Mirror: “GMP currently have a team of detectives working on this investigation, who are following up on a number of lines of enquiry, including working with the courts and Interpol.
“We are in regular contact with the children’s family in the UK and will continue to update them as the investigation progresses”.
“Anyone with information that could aid our investigation, is asked to contact police on 101, quoting log number 3480 of the 10 August 2022. Alternatively use our LiveChat service at www.gmp.police.uk”.
An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are providing assistance to the family of three children who have been reported missing and are in touch with Greater Manchester Police.”
During a recent hearing at Family Division of the High Court in London, Mr Justice Peel said the children's father had 'wrongly removed' them from their mother and said the kids had been the victims of 'on the fact of it' a 'blatant abduction'.
He said: "On the face of it, this father has perpetrated an act of great cruelty on these children and their mother.
"Those children are now with their father and his family in Libya. The removal was under the ruse of a holiday which the father said he wished to take in England.
"Instead, he took them clandestinely to Libya. In so doing it seems to me that he acted unscrupulously and contrary to the needs of these children who have always lived in this country and have been in the primary care of their mother and attending school here.
"I would urge anybody who can do anything to assist the return of the children to this country to do so. That includes the father himself, his family and any judicial or other authorities in Libya who are minded to take appropriate steps."
The children's grandparents, Phil and Lynne Daley, made an emotional appeal for the 'joyful' kids to be brought home to their 'distraught' mother earlier this year.
"They are absolutely fantastic children," they said. "We have 22 grandchildren and see every one of them the same.
"You can feel how much they are missed. They are very joyful, especially with their nanna," Phil said.
"All I would say is we just want them home. They need to be with their mother. She is distraught and so is the rest of the family. We are bonding together but we need them home."
In a previous statement, Greater Manchester Police said: "On the 10th August 2022, police received a report that three children aged 8, 6 and 4 were missing from their home in Wythenshawe.
"The children are believed to be with a family member. Enquiries are ongoing to trace the whereabouts of the children."
An FCDO spokesperson earlier said: "We are providing assistance to the family of three children who have been reported missing and are in contact with Greater Manchester Police."
