Information will be decisive in pushing the missing persons issue forward, as 12 individuals from the official list of the Committee on Missing Persons have been identified in 2025, while remains that are believed to belong to 20, have been discovered in eight excavation sites.
Greek Cypriot CMP member Leonidas Pantelides told the Cyprus News Agency that every detail provided helps in 'forming a more comprehensive picture on burial sites'.
A number of additional identifications were pending and expected to be completed in the new year.
Identifications however were not actually rising, with Pantelides referring to a 'decreased but stable' number. It all depended on whether the remains found were actually identified. 2025 saw '20 findings which yet to be identified', noting that the process takes time.
The 12 identifications established this year are remains of missing persons found in 2024 and possibly some that were located further back, but were 'difficult cases'.
He said that once the remains of a missing person are identified, families are informed immediately.
On the 20 individuals found through excavations, they need to be confirmed through the identification process, which can last several months.
Asked to identify locations where the remains were found, he said he would rather not name the areas until identifications were completed and established in order to avoid causing undue distress to families who might hope their loved one has been found.
He added that out of the nearly 130 excavations carried out this year, eight yielded findings, with sites increasing by 20%, from 106 to 130 by the end of last week.
Asked about the adequacy of excavation crews, Pantelides said that at present there is sufficient personnel for nine crews, this does not mean however, that nine excavations are taking place simultaneously.
“At the moment we are working on eight,” he said, noting that in case of urgent excavations, two teams may work together at one particular site.
“If we assign two or three archaeologists to a separate group, another excavation begins and a ninth team is formed,” he explained.
Asked about the flow of information, Pantelides said it was coming in, “but we would like more.”
Sometimes new information arises, but most concerns cases already known to the CMP and there is also an issue of accuracy, as he stressed.
He fiurther underscored that they trust witnesses are telling the truth, but that after so many years they may not remember the exact location.
'You understand, therefore, that a small detail from someone else may complete the missing pieces.'
He noted that the first missing persons date back to December 1963 and after 62 years it is not easy to locate them.
“Every detail can help us. That is why we always call on the public, if they know something, even a small detail can help clarify something else'.
Pantelides also noted that restrictions continue to remain in place across 'military areas' in the north and that there was no change in this regard.
According to data published on the CMP website and updated in November 2025, out of 1,510 Greek Cypriot missing persons, 762 have been identified and 748 are still missing.
Out of 492 Turkish Cypriots, 296 were identified and 196 are missing.