Two soldiers’ remains found in bomb-collapsed shelter at Quang Tri citadel

Construction work at a bank compound in Quang Tri led to the recovery of two soldiers’ remains from what authorities identified as a mass grave.

Workers building the compound in Thanh Co neighborhood, Quang Tri ward, noticed signs of possible remains and alerted officials. Team No. 2 for the Search and Recovery of Martyrs’ Remains then surveyed the site and found military artifacts, including tarpaulins, ammunition boxes, an AK rifle ammunition case and a backpack.

Further searching uncovered leg bones, thigh bones and vertebrae mixed with bricks and stones. Officials concluded that the remains belonged to two soldiers whose shelter had collapsed after a bombing. The remains were taken to the bank branch at the citadel for safekeeping and memorial offerings, while the search continues in the surrounding area.

Separately, Team No. 1 recovered another set of remains in Dan Hoa commune. The team expanded a site where two sets of remains had been found on September 3 and 4. The newly recovered remains lay about 1.2 meters underground and had been wrapped in a tarpaulin.

The remains had decomposed severely, with most reduced to black soil. Investigators recovered one arm bone about 19 centimeters long, along with eight military uniform buttons, 18 coffin nails, a tarpaulin and a binding cord. Officials have not yet identified the soldier or determined the person’s hometown.