Identification of Greek soldiers' remains from the 1974 Cyprus conflict using new genetic methods

The Office of the Presidential Commissioner of Cyprus has initiated a process to identify remains of Greek soldiers and missing persons from the 1974 conflict that were previously treated with chemicals. This chemical treatment, applied around 1980 for preservation or odor control, had historically prevented reliable identification through standard genetic testing. On April 21, 2026, the Council of Ministers approved a budget of one million euros, following a proposal by Commissioner Marios Hartsiotis, to conduct advanced genetic tests. The project utilizes Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS) technology through the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics. Scientists and anthropologists have agreed on a protocol to test skeletal remains, which are estimated to belong to 32 individuals. Previous attempts to identify these samples, including sending them to laboratories in the United States, had failed. The Institute has already successfully identified one bone on a pilot basis, marking the beginning of systematic testing for the remaining samples.