Nicosia: Excavations are currently underway in Turkish-occupied Kato Deryneia, at Agios Memnonas, for twelve civilians, women, and children, in a military zone with two potential sites, in Karavas, very close to the landing site, where remains with military clothing were found in a well twelve meters deep, and it is believed that there may be a number of missing persons there, Leonidas Pantelides, Greek Cypriot representative in the Committee of Missing Persons (CMP) said on Monday.
According to Cyprus News Agency, excavations are also taking place in Ambelikou, where there have already been findings and the search is being expanded on the assumption that there may be more to discover, at two sites in Lapithos, in Syrianochori, in the village of Galatea in Karpasia, and also in Strovolos. The government will continue to work with seriousness, sensitivity, and determination, in full cooperation with the families' organizations, scientific bodies, and every relevant institution, to exhaust every possibility for determining the fate of our missing persons, said Presidential Commissioner Marios Hartsiotis.
They were both speaking during a press conference for the 41st Marathon of Love for the Missing, at the Archbishop's Palace, during which Hartsiotis also announced the allocation of a pound 1 million fund for specialized genetic testing using a specific methodology. On their part, organizations of relatives of missing persons highlighted the significance of the recent decision by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe regarding Turkey's compliance with the decisions of the ECHR. Pantelides expressed the view that this year could yield 30 to 35 identifications from the excavations being conducted by the Committee.
In his opening remarks, Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus and President of the 'Pan-Cyprian Fund for the Missing Persons' Love Marathon,' stated that the Missing Persons' Love Marathon 'contributes directly to the ongoing struggle to raise awareness at all levels and exert meaningful pressure so that Turkey will finally demonstrate sincere and practical cooperation in resolving this tragic humanitarian issue.'
The Republic's Accountant General and Treasurer of the Foundation, Andreas Antoniades, said that approximately 1.2 million euros have been collected, while regarding the Fund's expenditures, 400,000 euros have been provided to date as educational assistance for the children of missing persons, 400,000 euros as emergency aid, primarily to the parents of missing persons, and pound 200,000 as marriage grants to the children and siblings of missing persons, as well as pound 200,000 allocated for missions abroad and other expenses, with the aim of raising awareness about the issue of missing persons.
He added that last year, 10 families received emergency assistance, and the same number have been assisted so far this year, while the Foundation currently has a cash balance of approximately 15,000 euros.
Regarding the latest developments regarding missing persons, the President of the Pancyprian Organization of Relatives of Undeclared Prisoners and Missing Persons, Nikos Sergides, and the President of the Pahellenic Committee of Relatives of Undeclared Prisoners and Missing Persons of the Cyprus Tragedy, Maria Kalbourzi, highlighted the recent discussion of the issue at the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on March 9, which is examining the extent of Turkey's compliance with the 2001 decision of the European Court of Human Rights.
On behalf of the government, Hartsiotis said that the government has undertaken and is promoting specific initiatives, such as securing a budget of 1 million euros to conduct specialized genetic testing using a specific methodology (mass parallel sequencing) on skeletal remains from the Makedonitissa Tomb, which had been sprayed with chemicals in the past and until now have been scientifically and extremely difficult or impossible to identify, an effort that will be carried out through the Institute of Neurology and Genetics and is expected to begin in May.
He added that the fifth phase of examination of small skeletal samples from the Lakatamia Military Cemetery has been handed over to the Institute of Neurology and Genetics, with the expectation that this phase will also yield new identifications, while the establishment of a new permanent anthropological laboratory of the Republic of Cyprus is being promoted on premises belonging to the Ministry of Defense, so that the state may further strengthen its scientific and operational capabilities through a modern and permanent anthropological laboratory.
'I conclude with a commitment. The government will continue to work with seriousness, sensitivity, and determination, in full cooperation with the relatives' organizations, scientific bodies, and every relevant institution, to exhaust every possibility for determining the fate of our missing persons,' he concluded.
Pantelides said that the CMP's efforts to locate the remaining missing persons continue despite increasing difficulties. He added that excavations are currently underway in Kato Deryneia, at Agios Memnonas, for twelve civilians, women, and children, in a military zone with two potential sites, in Karavas, very close to the landing site, where bones wearing military clothing were found in a well twelve meters deep, and it is believed that there may be a number of missing persons there.
Excavations, according to Pantelides, are also taking place in Ambelikou, where findings have already been made and the search is being expanded on the assumption that there may be more to discover, at two sites in Lapithos, in Syrianochori, in the village of Galatea in Karpasia, and also in Strovolos. He said that 126 excavations were conducted last year and a total of 1,800 since excavations began in 2006, he continued, noting that 1,069 have been identified and 933 remain to be identified in total, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown. A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning to their relatives the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots, who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.
According to statistical data published on the CMP website by February 28, 2026 out of 2002 missing persons 1,714 were exhumed and 1,065 were identified. Out of 1,510 Greek Cypriot missing persons 764 were identified and 746 are still missing. Out of 492 Turkish Cypriot missing persons 301 were identified and 191 are still missing.