Funeral for Turkish Cypriot held 44 years after death

By Murat Demirci

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Nearly a half-century after the fact, a Turkish Cypriot martyr was laid to rest properly during a funeral on Monday.

Ihsan Guven Salih had fought alongside 24 people against 600 Greek Cypriots and was martyred in 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks, and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power

Salih’s remains were found during excavations in the Tekke Garden of Lefkosa, in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The island’s Committee on Missing Persons determined Salih's identity by using DNA samples from his family members.

Politicians, NGO representatives, and numerous mourners attended the ceremony alongside Salih’s family members.

After funeral prayers at Kucuk Kaymakli Mosque, Salih was buried in Tekke Garden Martyrs Cemetery with a military ceremony.

The Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus is working to return to relatives the remains of victims listed as missing in the years 1963-1964 and 1974.

To date, the committee has identified 868 out of 2,003 missing individuals.