Excavations by the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) are progressing across multiple sites, as two people have been identified this year, Turkish Cypriot member of the committee Haki Muftuzade said on Monday.

The CMP is currently conducting excavations at eight locations, while additional recovery operations were completed earlier this year.

Muftuzade said that since the beginning of this year, 26 excavations have taken place, and two additional missing persons have been identified following the recovery of remains.

According to Muftuzade, active excavation sites include Dali, Lapithos, Karavas, Exometochi, Yalateia, Ambelikou, Petra and in the north of Nicosia.

He also said that a number of remains recovered in previous excavations in the Tekke gardens behind Kyrenia avenue in the northern quarter of Nicosia have now been identified, with five of seven sets of remains confirmed through DNA analysis.

One of the most recent identifications was that of Hussein Mestan, whose burial took place in Ambelikou earlier this month.

Muftuzade said that a significant portion of past excavations have taken place in areas classified as military zones, with access restrictions continuing to affect search operations.

He stated that “a total of 205 remains have been discovered in excavations in military areas”.

He added that 127 excavations have been carried out in such restricted zones to date.

The CMP’s financial framework for this year was also outlined, with Muftuzade saying that the annual budget stands at €3.9 million, supported primarily by the EU alongside contributions from international donors.

 He said there have been no funding shortages affecting DNA analysis or laboratory operations.

Muftuzade called on the public to assist ongoing efforts by sharing any relevant information, adding that “time is running out” and urging even unverified reports to be submitted anonymously if necessary.

Greek Cypriot CMP representative Leonidas Pantelides has previously said that excavation work continues islandwide, including sites in Kato Deryneia and Karavas, where remains and personal effects have been recovered in recent years.

The committee on missing persons was established in 1981 but only began systematic excavation work in 2006 after years of political deadlock.

The programme addresses cases dating from intercommunal violence in the 1960s and the Turkish invasion of 1974.

CMP figures indicate that out of more than 2,000 recorded missing persons from both communities, over 1,000 have been identified to date, while several hundred cases remain unresolved as excavation and laboratory work continues.