Voters in breakaway north Cyprus are casting ballots in a presidential election seen as a test of whether talks to reunify the divided island can be revived.

Incumbent Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, who backs a two-state solution, faces the main centre-left rival Tufan Erhurman, who favours renewed United Nations-sponsored negotiations on a federal settlement with Greek Cypriots.

Tatar's position for a two-state deal has been rejected by Greek Cypriots, while peace talks have been in deadlock since 2017.

Seven candidates are standing, but polls suggest the race will hinge on Tatar and Erhurman, with a runoff on October 26 if there is no outright winner.

Cyprus was split in 1974 in a Turkish invasion triggered by a brief Greek-backed coup, which followed sporadic fighting after the

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