Martyr buried in Northern Cyprus, 53 years after death

By Murat Demirci

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Halil Ziya, a man believed to have been martyred by Greek Cypriots in 1964, has been laid to rest on Tuesday in Gazimagusa district of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Remains of Ziya were identified by the Committee on Missing Persons following a DNA match with his family members.

He was buried at Mormenekse Cemetery in a military ceremony following his funeral prayer at Mormenekse Mosque.

Gokhan Ozturk, grandson of Ziya, said his grandfather went missing 53 years ago when he was on his way to work.

He was attacked by “bloody people”, according to Ozturk, who noted the remains of his grandfather were found under a concrete water canal.

The Committee on Missing Persons has been working to find out graveyards and identify the people went missing in Northern Cyprus between 1963 and 1974.

Around 700 dead bodies of 2,001 missing people were identified so far as the committee continues its work to identify others.