Eleven people were identified in 2024, in the framework of the program of the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP), according to updated figures by the office of the representative of the Greek Cypriot side to the CMP, Leonidas Pantelidis. Two of them are Greek Cypriots.

Seven of these persons were on the official list of missing persons of the CMP, while the remaining four people were not on this list and may have been killed in battlefields.

All these identifications resulted from new excavations in sites that were not searched in the past for human remains.

In total, during 2024 (data up to 19/12/24) excavations have been carried out at 102 sites and remains have been identified in five excavations, namely in Aloa, Trachonas, Karavas (described as military area by the occupied Turkish forces), Lapithos and Pelapais (military area).

Of the total of 2,002 missing persons, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, 1,051 have been identified to date. In addition, another 216 persons have been identified who are not included in the official CMP list of missing persons.

Of the 1,051 , 756 are Greek Cypriots and 295 are Turkish Cypriot, while 754 Greek Cypriots and 197 Turkish Cypriots are still missing.

Currently, seven teams are carrying out excavations in Agia Marina Skylloura (military area), Louroutzina (military area), Lapithos, Assia, Omorfita, Sysklipos and Konia in the Paphos district.

The joint investigation process for approximately 100 cases has already been completed by the two Offices, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, which have been added to the list of sites to be excavated. These excavations will be carried out in the coming months, depending on the availability of the crews.

In addition, approximately 300 cases are under investigation by the investigation team of the Office of the Greek Cypriot Representative. These cases are either in the initial stages, or the investigation has not yet been completed, so that the information can be disclosed to the Turkish Cypriot side.

Regarding the recent excavations with special equipment carried out by foreign experts, the data obtained have been evaluated and excavations have begun or will begin soon in some areas as soil disturbance has been detected. However, it is clarified that this disturbance does not necessarily mean that human remains are buried there.

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 Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.