Newsroom
A long-running effort to identify remains from Cyprus’ 1974 conflict has entered a new phase, with officials announcing the start of advanced DNA testing on bones that for decades could not be reliably analyzed.
The Office of the Presidential Commissioner said the process has now begun for the identification of remains belonging to Greek Cypriot and Greek soldiers who were killed or went missing during the 1974 Turkish invasion, but whose remains had previously been treated with chemical substances that made traditional DNA testing ineffective.
For many families who have spent nearly five decades without answers, the development represents another step, however gradual, towards closure.
New technology opens doors after decades of uncertainty
The breakthrough comes through the use of Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS), a cutting-edge genetic method that allows scientists to extract and analyze DNA even from highly degraded or chemically contaminated remains.
Until now, many of these remains could not be tested using standard forensic techniques, leaving dozens of cases unresolved.
Officials say the new method offers a fresh scientific opportunity to revisit cases that were previously considered “unreadable” in genetic terms.
€1 million approved for specialised testing
The process was made possible following a Cabinet decision on April 21, 2026, which approved a €1 million funding package for specialized genetic testing.
The initiative was proposed by Presidential Commissioner Marios Hartsiotis, who said the development marks “another substantial step” in the state’s ongoing effort to determine the fate of missing persons from the 1974 conflict and to honor those who lost their lives.
Work carried out at Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics
The testing is being carried out at the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, based on a scientific protocol agreed upon between the institute's geneticists and Cypriot anthropologists.
Work has already begun with initial samples, while additional material is being prepared for further analysis in line with the agreed strategy.
The first phase focuses on skeletal remains considered most suitable for analysis, based on both anthropological and genetic criteria.
Officials stressed that the process will be handled through continuous coordination between scientific teams, with what they described as full respect for the humanitarian nature of the issue.
A deeply human issue still unresolved
Behind the scientific language lies a reality that remains painfully familiar to many Cypriot families: decades of waiting for answers about loved ones who never returned home.
The remains in question were previously exposed to chemical substances, a factor that made identification impossible with older DNA techniques. That scientific barrier has now been lifted, opening the door, at least partially, to long-delayed answers.
Authorities said the new phase should be seen “without exaggeration but with seriousness,” as it offers a renewed chance to provide information to families who have been waiting for decades.
Continued push for identification work
Alongside the new testing program, Cyprus is also moving forward with the fifth phase of identifications of Cypriot missing persons as part of the broader national program.
The government, backed by President Nikos Christodoulides, reiterated that the issue of missing persons remains primarily humanitarian in nature.
It said the state has a duty to use every available scientific, institutional, and financial tool until answers are provided to every family still waiting.
For many, the new technology will not erase decades of uncertainty. But it may finally begin to fill some of the silence left behind by one of Cyprus’ most painful unresolved chapters.
