Saren Azer, missing with his 4 children, wanted on abduction charges

A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for a Vancouver Island man who failed to bring his four children home to his ex-wife followinga European trip.

The children daughtersRojevahn, 9, and Sharvahn, 11, and sonsMeitan, 3, andDersim, 7 had been travelling in Germany with their father, Saren Azer, and were supposed to return last Friday.

But the mother,AlisonAzer, said she hasn't heard anything from them for 12 days.

"I'm living a nightmare," Azer said."I just felt something in their voices. Itdidn't sound right.I asked them to call me and I have never heard from them again."

Alison andSarenAzerseparated three years ago.Hewaslegally permitted to leave the country with his children, but was required by a custody order to return home by Aug.21.

Prominent humanitarian

Saren Azer, an ethnic Kurd also known as SalahaddinMahmudi-Azer, is a well-known Comox doctor of Kurdish extraction. He has travelled frequently to northern Iraq for humanitarian work.

His ex-wife's greatest fear is that he has taken their children there.

"I am so scared for my children and I have been so scared for three years," she said.

Azeris a prominent figure in the humanitarian sector, andhas also been featured in a promotional video from the Prime Minister's Office.

Minister of National DefenceJason Kenneytweeted about meeting Azer back in March.

Interpol now involved

Comox Valley RCMPobtained theCanada-wide warrant for Azer's arrest oncharges of abduction in contravention of a custody order.

"We understand how difficult this situation is for the children's mother and others in the community," said Cpl.Darren Lagan in a statement.

According to Lagan, local, provincial and federalRCMP officers in Canada and abroadhave been working togethertorestrict further international travel by Azer and the children.

RCMP have also been communicating extensivelywithInterpol, whichhas listed all four children as missing on its website.

"The safety and security of Canadian children, both at home and abroad, is of the utmost importance to the RCMP, and we will continue our efforts to locate and safely return these children to British Columbia," said Lagan.

'I am desperate'

AlisonAzer is using social media to get attention and raise money for legal fees. At the time of writing, she had raised more than $28,000.

"I feel so honoured to receive this support. I would never, never, never wish this on anyone," she said. "I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't breathe. I am desperate to hear from my children."

Anyonewithany information about the whereaboutsof SarenAzerand-orhis four children is asked tocontactlocal police, or the Comox Valley RCMP at 250-338-1321.