Italian Army removes 250 World War I explosives from melting glaciers

The Italian Army has completed a military operation to remove and neutralize 250 explosive artifacts from the Trentino-Alto Adige region in northern Italy. The munitions, which date back to World War I, were exposed due to melting glaciers in the Dolomites and the Adamello-Brenta massif.

Specialists from the Julia Alpine Brigade and the 2nd Alpine Engineering Regiment located and deactivated various items over a two-week period, concluding the work on October 16. The recovered materials include Italian and Austrian artillery shells of different calibers, hand grenades, and French-made Thevetot bombs used by Italian forces during the conflict.

The discovery is linked to the White War, a series of battles fought between Austro-Hungarian and Italian troops in the Alps between 1915 and 1918. Military officials noted that such munitions reappear annually as ice melts, posing a significant risk to hikers and mountain visitors. Operations are typically conducted during the summer to avoid the dangers of autumn snowfalls.