Cyprus Times

Turkish Cypriot Claims Knowledge of 1963 Massacre of Greek Cypriots

Published December 31, 2025, 13:07
Turkish Cypriot Claims Knowledge of 1963 Massacre of Greek Cypriots

Yusuf Kisa, owner of the Yeni Bakis newspaper, claims to have information about the murder of approximately 80 Greek Cypriots around 1963. According to a now-deceased eyewitness, the victims were "beheaded and thrown into a well." The witness, born in 1942, reportedly recounted the incident to Kisa during meetings in London and Cyprus, insisting the information remain confidential until after his death. Kisa states the witness revealed the name of the village where the murders took place, the location of the well, and the involvement of his uncle in the crime. Kisa says he wanted to publish the information immediately but was asked by the witness to do so only after his passing. He now believes he is fulfilling his promise to the witness. Leonidas Pantelidis, the Greek Cypriot representative on the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP), stated that there are 44-45 Greek Cypriot missing persons from the 1963-64 period, of whom 20 have already been identified. He expressed the CMP's intention to contact Kisa and investigate his information, including the possibility of him indicating the location of the alleged mass grave in a well. However, Pantelidis noted that burials in wells were not common practice during that period, suggesting the need for careful verification of Kisa's claims. The case is expected to provoke strong reactions and lead to further investigations.