15 Turkish Cypriot victims laid to rest 52 years after their deaths
The remains were identified by the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) following excavations carried out at Atlılar Martyrs’ Cemetery between July 24, 2023 and April 23, 2024.
A state funeral was held on Thursday, attended by President Tufan Erhürman, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Parliament Speaker Ziya Öztürkler, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, Supreme Court President Bertan Özerdağ and Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Ali Murat Başçeri.
Senior military officials, ministers, MPs and relatives of the victims also attended.
The ceremony began with a minute’s silence and a ceremonial gun salute before funeral prayers were held.
The coffins, draped in Turkish and TRNC flags, were then carried to the graves alongside photographs of those being buried. The flags and photographs were presented to their families before the burials took place and prayers were recited.
‘We are here to complete a farewell left unfinished’
Speaking on behalf of the families, Association of Martyrs’ Families and War Veterans chairman Gürsel Benan said the ceremony brought an end to a wait lasting 52 years.
“Today, we are here to complete a farewell that was left unfinished,” he said.
Benan said the victims had spent decades without graves where their relatives could visit and pray, although their place in the hearts of the Turkish Cypriot community had never disappeared.
“Every tear shed today is a tear of 52 years of longing,” he said.
“Every hand touching these coffins today is the hand of a mother, father, brother, sister, child or relative who has been trying to reach them for all these years.”
Benan said the killings at Muratağa, Atlılar and Sandallar had torn families apart, destroyed lives and left deep wounds within the Turkish Cypriot community.
He said the victims, particularly the children, women and elderly people who were killed, would “never be forgotten”.
While identification had finally ended decades of uncertainty for their families, Benan said the sense of loss would remain.
He also thanked the CMP and everyone involved in identifying the remains and returning them to their relatives.
Babies and children among those buried
The youngest victim laid to rest was Seldem Ali Osman (Pipalı), who was just 40 days old.
The 15 victims and their ages at the time of their deaths were:
Tülay Süleyman, 28; Hasan Süleyman, 10; Kemal Süleyman, six; Okan Süleyman, three; Gürhan Ali Çerkez, 12; Ayşe Hasan, 56; Narin Hasan, 16; Kıymet Hasan, 22; Betül Arnavut, 16 months; Mualla Ali Osman (Pipalı), 36; Gülden Ali Osman (Pipalı), four; Özlem Ali Osman (Pipalı), two; Seldem Ali Osman (Pipalı), 40 days; Fatma Tahir, 46; and Emine Tahir, 22.
Their remains were recovered during CMP excavations at Atlılar and subsequently identified before being returned to their families for burial.
Following the funeral, officials attended the opening of the Muratağa-Atlılar-Sandallar Martyrs’ Museum, built with the support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency
