Cyprus police in first apology over serial killings

Cyprus's new police chief issued the force's first apology on Tuesday for its handling of the killings of seven foreign women and girls, acknowledging officers had failed to protect them.

The murders -- dubbed the Mediterranean island's first serial killings -- have sparked anger against the police over its failure to act on missing person reports that allowed the killer to carry on undetected for nearly three years.

New chief Kypros Michaelides issued the apology as he was sworn in to replace Zacharias Chrysostomou.

Chrysostomou was sacked by President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday over what he called police "negligence and incompetence", a day after Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou resigned.

"The recent painful developments and the loss of defenceless innocent women and children who had come to our country in search of a better future have greatly damaged the prestige, honour and reputation of the Cyprus police, highlighting weaknesses, gaps and omissions," Michaelides said.

"That is why, as representative of the police force, I want... to convey a big apology because we did not manage to protect these innocent and defenceless souls who died in a tragic and disgraceful way."