**760 Missing Persons from Turkish Invasion of 1974 Remain Unidentified**
A total of 760 individuals who went missing during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 remain unidentified, according to Marios Hartsiotis, the Presidential Commissioner. Speaking at an event organized by the Cyprus Studies Centre in Larnaca on Wednesday, Hartsiotis emphasized the urgency of efforts to determine the fate of those still unaccounted for, highlighting that the issue transcends time and remains a pressing humanitarian and national obligation.
The Commissioner noted that out of the 1,619 people registered as missing, 859 have been identified. He stressed that the government is committed to improving infrastructure, conducting genetic testing, and enhancing communication with the families of the missing. Hartsiotis stated, “Determining the fate of the missing constitutes the highest humanitarian and national obligation,” underscoring the importance of this issue to the families affected.
To facilitate the identification process, Hartsiotis called for access to Turkish military archives, which he believes could provide critical information regarding burial sites and assist in resolving cases that have lingered for over five decades. He mentioned that the cabinet has approved the establishment of a permanent state anthropological laboratory and that work is ongoing to create an ossuary for both identified and unidentified remains of missing persons and fallen soldiers.
A significant allocation of €1 million, approved in April, is being utilized for specialized genetic testing on the remains of Greek Cypriot and Greek individuals who went missing or were killed during the 1974 conflict. These remains had previously been treated with chemicals, complicating conventional identification methods. The genetic testing commenced in June through a dedicated genetics institute, and a fifth batch of small skeletal samples from the Lakatamia military cemetery has also been sent for examination.
Hartsiotis also announced plans to enhance communication with the relatives of missing persons through regular meetings and access to files related to the missing. He indicated that his office, along with the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) and the genetics institute, will conduct an annual public presentation detailing their activities, with the first report covering efforts made in 2026.
In his remarks, Hartsiotis reiterated the necessity of obtaining information from Turkish military archives, stating, “Access to archives and data, as well as substantial cooperation from the occupying power, are required.”
Leonidas Pantelides, the Greek Cypriot representative to the CMP, provided an update on ongoing excavations at seven sites, with another site expected to open shortly. The excavations are focused on locations in Vatyli, Assia, Lapithos, Exo Metochi, Neo Chorio, Livadia, and Yerolakkos. The investigations at these sites primarily concern the possible burial of Greek Cypriots, while the Yerolakkos site pertains to Turkish Cypriots. Pantelides noted that 120 sites have been designated as military areas by the Turkish authorities for excavation.
As of now, six of the first ten sites on the CMP’s 2026 excavation list have been addressed, with work on the seventh site anticipated to commence soon.
Nikos Sergides, president of the relatives of unregistered prisoners of war and missing persons’ association (Kykem), expressed the ongoing frustration of families still seeking answers 52 years after the events of 1974. He criticized the pace of the CMP’s activities, attributing some of the challenges to restrictions imposed by the Turkish army. Sergides emphasized that the issue remains fundamentally humanitarian, stating, “Behind every missing person is a family” that has been waiting for decades for closure.
The plight of the missing persons from the 1974 invasion continues to be a sensitive and significant issue in Cyprus, with both the government and various organizations striving to bring resolution and peace to the families affected by this historical tragedy.