On September 4, the Military Command of Quang Tri province said that in 2 days from September 3 to 4, Repatriation Team 589, Political Department searched, discovered and exhumed 2 sets of martyrs' remains in Bai Dinh village, Dan Hoa commune.
The activity was carried out in response to the "Operation of 500 days and nights to promote the search, repatriation and identification of martyrs' remains" of the National Steering Committee.
According to information provided by people, in a melaleuca forest planted on the foundation of an old cemetery, soldiers who used to take martyrs who participated in combat and sacrificed in Laos back for burial.
During the survey, officers and staff of Team 589 discovered signs related to martyrs' remains, then expanded the search scope, collected and classified remains and accompanying artifacts.
Through searching, the unit exhumed 2 sets of martyrs' remains. The first set of remains was discovered at a depth of about 1.3m, still wrapped in a mortar. A section of arm bone about 18cm long is still relatively clear, other bone parts have broken, decomposed into many small pieces and mixed in black soil.
The artifacts found included a whole shrine, a soldier's belt, nails for the coffin, buttons and some other items.
The second remains were found at a depth of about 1.1m. The arm bones were broken into short sections, many other bones were shattered and decomposed. The accompanying artifacts included buttons, soldier clothes and tanks.
According to Team 589, the artifacts found along with the remains are the basis for researching, comparing and verifying information about the martyrs.
However, through initial inspection and information gathering, the identities, hometowns and genders of the 2 martyrs have not yet been determined.
After exhumation, Team 589 organized the protection and preservation of remains and artifacts, and at the same time carried out care and incense offering according to customs and regulations.
In the coming time, the unit will continue to coordinate with the Party Committee, local authorities and functional agencies to expand the search scope in the Bai Dinh village area.
Information sources and related artifacts will also continue to be reviewed and compared to serve the work of verifying and identifying martyrs.
