The remains of a total of 14 people have been recovered so far this year in excavations carried out by the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP), it announced on Tuesday.

According to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the remains were recovered in Aloa, Asomatos, Kioneli, Kyrenia, Yerolakkos and Gypsou.

Sixty excavations have been carried out so far this year, with five excavations ongoing.

The ongoing excavations are taking place in the villages of Ashia, Aloa, Lapithos, Lefkoniko, and Peristerona.

In addition, CNA said it has learnt that new excavations in a military area in Kyrenia will begin in the coming days. Two excavations in the area have already been carried out without any results, but following the receipt of fresh information, a third excavation is set to begin.

It is believed that “more than one” person is buried in the area in question, but that it is “not a large number” of people.