Greek defence minister Nikos Dendias said on Friday that the Cyprus problem remains an issue of “illegal military occupation” as Greece marked the 52nd anniversary of the second phase of Operation Attila.

In a message posted on social media, Dendias paid tribute to those killed during the Turkish invasion of 1974, saying “we honour the memory of our fallen Greek and Cypriot brothers, who fought for the freedom of Cyprus”.

“We do not forget the missing and their families,” he added.

Dendias said the passage of time had not diminished the importance of remembering those events, adding that Greece “honours the memory” of those who died and continues to remember the missing and their families.