The remains of six Greek soldiers who were killed during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and intercommunal clashes between 1963 and 1965 were returned to Greece on Monday. Until recently the six soldiers were registered as missing, until their remains were exhumed from free and occupied areas in Cyprus and later identified via DNA.
In a ceremony that took place at the General Staff of the National Guard in Nicosia on Monday, the Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs Fotis Fotiou handed over the remains to the Alternate Minister of National Defense Dimitris Vitsas. The remains of the Greek soldiers were placed in boxes draped with the Greek and Cypriot flags.
On Tuesday the remains will be transferred to Athens, with a ceremony being held at the airport of Elefsina, before being passed on to relatives for burial.
According to the Research Commission for Missing Persons, there are 77 Greeks still registered as missing – 73 from the Turkish invasion and 4 from the intercommuncal clashes of 1963-1965. Of these missing people, 14 have been identified.
