Incense is offered at a fallen soldier’s grave at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune. VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội has begun exhuming the remains of unidentified fallen soldiers and collecting biological samples at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery, marking the first full-scale rollout of a citywide DNA identification programme.

The work began on Thursday following a pilot excavation and sampling programme at Yên Viên Martyrs’ Cemetery in Phù Đổng Commune, which provided practical experience for the wider operation.

After Ngọc Hồi, sampling will be carried out at Nhổn and Mai Dịch martyrs’ cemeteries, followed by 337 other martyrs’ cemeteries across the city’s 126 communes and wards.

Nguyễn Tây Nam, deputy director of the municipal Department of Home Affairs and deputy head of Hà Nội’s Steering Committee 515 for the search, collection and identification of fallen soldiers’ remains, said Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune contained 1,297 graves, 48 of which held unidentified remains.

He said authorities and relevant agencies would draw on modern science and technology in their efforts to identify fallen soldiers and reunite their remains with their families, hometowns and comrades.

Major General Đào Văn Nhận, commander of the Hà Nội Capital Command, inspected the excavation and sampling work and encouraged officers, soldiers and other personnel at the site to approach the task with the utmost care and responsibility.

“I hope the remains are still sufficiently preserved for samples to be collected,” he said.

“Everyone involved must carry out this work with both conscience and responsibility. It would be deeply regrettable if no information could be recovered, and any mistake caused by carelessness would represent a failure in our duty to earlier generations.”

Graves are carefully assigned identification codes before excavation and biological sampling begin.

Despite unpredictable weather and difficult working conditions, he urged those involved to regard the work as both a responsibility and an honour, helping return fallen soldiers’ remains to families who had long awaited news of them.

Under the plan, the collection and transfer of samples from the three city-managed cemeteries of Nhổn, Mai Dịch and Ngọc Hồi will be completed by November 2026.

Sampling at the remaining 337 cemeteries across 126 communes and wards is scheduled for completion by December 2026.

Hà Nội’s Steering Committee 515 has established 20 sampling and transfer teams, including 16 main teams and four reserve teams.

They will work with relevant agencies and local authorities to collect and transfer samples and digitise information on fallen soldiers’ remains in accordance with national technical procedures. The process must also comply with legal requirements and ensure objectivity and accuracy.

By the end of June 2026, surveys, identification-number assignment and scientific classification had been completed at all 340 martyrs’ cemeteries in the capital.

Hà Nội has 54,200 graves of fallen soldiers, comprising 54,191 individual graves and nine collective graves. Of these, 23,202 have complete records, while 25,808 have only partial information. Remains from 8,059 graves require sampling for DNA analysis.

Most of the unidentified remains date back to the resistance war against French colonial rule, meaning the quality of the biological material has deteriorated considerably over time.

Major General Lưu Nam Tiến, Political Commissar of the Hà Nội Capital Command, offers incense at a fallen soldier’s grave at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune.

As the standing body of the municipal Steering Committee 515, the Hà Nội Capital Command has taken the lead in modernising the programme and applying digital technology.

Its units are digitising records to create a core database that will eventually be integrated into the Ministry of National Defence’s shared system.

Lieutenant Colonel Vũ Thùy Dương, head of the Mapping Division under the Operations Department of the Hà Nội Capital Command’s Political Department, said detailed plans were being drawn up for each martyrs’ cemetery.

The precise coordinates of graves containing unidentified remains were also being recorded as part of the digitisation process.

The data will help ensure that DNA results are accurately matched with individual graves and provide a long-term resource for future searches and identification work.

With biological evidence continuing to deteriorate, Hà Nội is working urgently but cautiously to preserve the remaining traces of those lost in wartime, following the principle of ensuring accuracy at every stage. VNS

Major General Đào Văn Nhận, Commander of the Hà Nội Capital Command, offers incense at the memorial to fallen soldiers at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune.

An unidentified fallen soldier’s grave at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune.

Excavation teams remove layers of earth and stone to reach fallen soldiers’ remains at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune.

Excavation teams remove layers of earth and stone to reach fallen soldiers’ remains at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune.

Unidentified fallen soldiers’ remains are exhumed and transferred to the biological sampling area at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune.

Excavation and biological sampling records for unidentified fallen soldiers’ remains are digitised.

Excavation and biological sampling records for unidentified fallen soldiers’ remains are digitised.

Unidentified fallen soldiers’ remains at the biological sampling area of Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune.

The remains of a fallen soldier are solemnly draped with the national flag in tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for national independence and freedom.

The remains of a fallen soldier are solemnly draped with the national flag in tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for national independence and freedom.Unidentified fallen soldiers’ remains are exhumed and transferred to the biological sampling area at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune.

Unidentified fallen soldiers’ remains are exhumed and transferred to the biological sampling area at Ngọc Hồi Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Trì Commune.