Remains of ELDYK Soldier Th. Charalambidis Identified 51 Years After Invasion

Fifty-one years after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the remains of Theodoros Charalambidis, a soldier of ELDYK (Greek Force in Cyprus), have been identified. Charalambidis had been missing since 1974, and his remains were found among remains that had been treated with chemicals.

Th. Charalambidis, just 21 years old, had enlisted in ELDYK and remained at the camp until the last moment. According to a soldier's testimony, he reportedly said: "Either I will shoot down ten planes or I will kill myself."

His funeral took place in July in Nicosia, and his remains were transferred to Edessa, his hometown. His family thanked the Head of Humanitarian Issues of Missing Persons and Enclaved Persons, Anna Aristotelous, for her contribution to the identification.

In a letter he sent to his family a few days after the first phase of the Turkish invasion, Th. Charalambidis reassured them and stated that he was in good health.

His siblings, Sakis Charalambidis and Vasiliki Baltagianni, spoke to REPORTER about their brother, describing him as a modest and romantic teenager.