Families reclaim remains of Greek soldiers killed during Turkish invasion of Cyprus

The remains of recently identified Greek soldiers killed on duty in Cyprus from 1963 to 1974 have been returned to their families.

Some of the men were killed during bicommunal fighting in 1963-1964 and others during the Turkish invasion of 1974.

According to Ekathimerini, 15 soldiers in total were identified, with eight of them being repatriated and buried in Greece. 

Cyprus’ President Nikos Christodoulides attended a funeral service on Thursday in Nicosia for the soldiers before their remains were contained in Greek flag-draped coffins.

Christodoulides said it was the least the state can do to honour and pay respect to the memory of those who died.

In Greece, full military honours will be afforded to the remains at a ceremony that is scheduled to take place at Elefsina Air Base on Friday, before they will be taken to the soldiers’ native places for reinternment.

The families of another six opted to have their remains reinterred at a mass grave in the Cypriot capital that stands as the country’s prime monument for the war.

Source: Ekathimerini