Until now the ruins could not be reached but excavations will continue

It was announced that the Committee on Missing Persons which began excavation work on the 17th of August in the area behind the Central Prison in North Nicosia have not found anything yet but their work will continue.

Turkish Cypriot assistant member of the Committee on Missing Persons Murat Soysal stated that the excavation teams have been doubled in order to speed up the work being carried out. Soysal said, “We know there are mass graves in the region. It is a large region and we guess we will get the result in a few weeks”.

Soysal also explained that they are trying to find the ruins of the 40-50 Greek Cypriots who had lost their lives in 1974 and buried as mass behind the current prison because even though they were taken to the Ledra Palace by truck, either Greek authorities or UN authorities did not receive them. Soysal said, “Excavations are continuing and we believe we will get results”.

According to the information of the Missing Persons Committee, 1508 Greek Cypriots, 493 Turkish Cypriots totally two thousand and one people are missing.  So far, 451 Greek Cypriots, 144 Turkish Cypriots missing identities were determined and delivered to their families. The Committee found the ruins of 969 people on 999 excavation site.