Newsroom / CNA
Significant progress has been made by the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in Cyprus this year, with the identification of remains belonging to eleven individuals. According to Leonidas Pantelidis, the Greek Cypriot representative to the CMP, two of these individuals were Greek Cypriots. Of the eleven, seven were on the official CMP list of missing persons, while the remaining four, possibly casualties of battle, were not included in the list. These identifications were the result of excavations carried out in previously unexplored locations.
The CMP has received substantial support from the European Union, which remains its largest financial contributor. The EU recently pledged €2.6 million to support ongoing operations in 2025. Since 2007, the EU has contributed a total of €41.1 million to this humanitarian effort, which aims to locate, identify, and return the remains of missing individuals to their families.
During 2024, the CMP conducted excavations at 102 sites, recovering human remains in five locations: Aloa, Trachonas, Karavas (a military area under Turkish occupation), Lapithos, and Pelapais (another military area). To date, the CMP has identified 1,051 individuals out of a total of 2,002 missing persons. Of those identified, 756 were Greek Cypriots and 295 were Turkish Cypriots. Meanwhile, 754 Greek Cypriots and 197 Turkish Cypriots remain missing. Additionally, 216 individuals not listed as missing by the CMP have also been identified.
Seven excavation teams are currently working in various locations, including Agia Marina Skylloura, Louroutzina, Lapithos, Assia, Omorfita, Sysklipos, and Konia in the Paphos district. The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot offices of the CMP have completed joint investigations into approximately 100 cases, identifying sites for future excavations. These excavations are expected to begin in the coming months, depending on crew availability. Meanwhile, around 300 cases remain under investigation by the Greek Cypriot representative’s office. Many of these are still in their initial stages or require additional information before they can be shared with the Turkish Cypriot side.
Recent excavations have employed advanced equipment operated by foreign experts. Soil disturbances detected in some areas are currently being evaluated, though CMP officials caution that such findings do not necessarily indicate the presence of human remains.
The CMP’s ongoing efforts, which address the tragic legacy of the inter-communal conflicts of 1963–1964 and 1974, have so far resulted in the exhumation of 1,688 individuals and the identification of 1,051. These efforts continue to provide closure to families and remain a vital part of the reconciliation process on the island.
