Nghệ An province collects 17,800 DNA samples from soldiers' families

Over a seven‑day high‑intensity campaign, the police of Nghệ An province gathered 17,831 DNA samples from relatives of unidentified war dead at seven collection points across the province. The effort, run from 25 June to 1 July, targets the identification of more than 22,000 soldiers whose names and burial sites remain unknown.

Samples were taken according to a priority order—mother, maternal grandmother, full‑blood siblings, maternal aunts/uncles, and children of the soldier’s maternal aunts or uncles—to ensure accurate matching. Officials noted that one sample can help identify two to three soldiers from the same family. While the number of samples fell short of the original goal, authorities will continue outreach to relatives who are elderly, living far from collection sites, or otherwise unable to attend.

The campaign is part of a broader initiative to recover the identities of over 175,000 unknown soldiers nationwide, with Nghệ An alone accounting for more than 22,000. Subsequent steps include cross‑checking DNA results with existing records and notifying families once identities are confirmed.