15 Turkish Cypriot victims laid to relaxation 52 years after their deaths
Sep 18, 2026 7:21 pm
Ibrar Younas
120
Fifteen Turkish Cypriots, together with a 40-day-old child and 4 different youngsters, have been laid to relaxation at Atlılar Martyrs’ Cemetery after their stays had been recognized greater than half a century after their deaths.
The stays had been recognized by the Committee on Lacking Individuals 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 Courtroom President Bertan Özerdağ and Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Ali Murat Başçeri.
Senior navy officers, ministers, MPs and relations of the victims additionally attended.
The ceremony started with a minute’s silence and a ceremonial gun salute earlier than funeral prayers had been held.
The coffins, draped in Turkish and TRNC flags, had been then carried to the graves alongside images of these being buried. The flags and images had been introduced to their households earlier than the burials occurred and prayers had been recited.
‘We’re right here to finish a farewell left unfinished’
Talking on behalf of the households, Affiliation of Martyrs’ Households and Struggle Veterans chairman Gürsel Benan stated the ceremony introduced an finish to a wait lasting 52 years.
“At the moment, we’re right here to finish a farewell that was left unfinished,” he stated.
Benan stated the victims had spent a long time with out graves the place their relations may go to and pray, though their place within the hearts of the Turkish Cypriot group had by no means disappeared.
“Each tear shed at present is a tear of 52 years of longing,” he stated.
“Each hand touching these coffins at present is the hand of a mom, father, brother, sister, youngster or relative who has been attempting to succeed in them for all these years.”
Benan stated the killings at Muratağa, Atlılar and Sandallar had torn households aside, destroyed lives and left deep wounds inside the Turkish Cypriot group.
He stated the victims, significantly the youngsters, ladies and aged individuals who had been killed, would “by no means be forgotten”.
Whereas identification had lastly ended a long time of uncertainty for his or her households, Benan stated the sense of loss would stay.
He additionally thanked the CMP and everybody concerned in figuring out the stays and returning them to their relations.
Infants and kids amongst these buried
The youngest sufferer laid to relaxation was Seldem Ali Osman (Pipalı), who was simply 40 days previous.
The 15 victims and their ages on the time of their deaths had been:
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), 4; Özlem Ali Osman (Pipalı), two; Seldem Ali Osman (Pipalı), 40 days; Fatma Tahir, 46; and Emine Tahir, 22.
Their stays had been recovered throughout CMP excavations at Atlılar and subsequently recognized earlier than being returned to their households for burial.
Following the funeral, officers attended the opening of the Muratağa-Atlılar-Sandallar Martyrs’ Museum, constructed with the help of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Company
