Families reclaim remains of 15 Greek soldiers killed in Cyprus in 1974
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides attended a funeral service for the troops in the capital, Nicosia.
The remains of recently identified Greek soldiers who fought in Cyprus against invading Turkish troops nearly half a century ago were returned to their families on Thursday.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides attended a funeral service at Ayios Panteleimonas Orthodox Church in the capital, Nicosia, for the 15 soldiers before their remains were contained in Greek flag-draped coffins.
Mr Christodoulides said it was the least the state could do to honour and pay respects to the memory of those who died.
The families of another six opted to have their remains reinterred in a mass grave in Nicosia which stands as the country’s prime monument for the war.
No family members have been located for one of the soldiers, according to the state broadcaster.
The invasion resulted in Cyprus’s ethnic divide, with Turkish Cypriots later declaring independence that is only recognised by Turkey, which still maintains more than 35,000 troops in the breakaway north.
Of the 2,002 people who disappeared in 1974 and the preceding decade amid ethnic violence, the remains of 1,033 have been identified and returned to their families since UN-led search efforts began in earnest in 2006.
A total of 769 Greek Cypriots and 200 Turkish Cypriots are still listed as missing and officials say the passage of time poses a huge challenge.
