Vietnam expands DNA program to identify thousands of unknown war dead

Provincial authorities in Vietnam are accelerating efforts to identify unidentified soldiers from the war era through large‑scale DNA sampling. In Dong Thap province, a "500‑day night" campaign has excavated 442 unknown graves at the Châu Thành war‑hero cemetery, where more than 60 staff have collected over 400 bone and tooth samples for forensic analysis. Officials note that only 2.6 % of the province’s 11,810 unidentified graves have been processed so far, but the quality of retrieved samples is improving, offering hope for confirming identities.

Meanwhile, in Ninh Binh province, police and local officials oversaw a peak DNA‑collection drive from 25 June to 2 July, gathering 1,627 DNA samples from relatives of unknown soldiers at five collection points. The effort, supported by senior officials, aims to build a national DNA database that can match relatives’ samples with remains, helping families finally learn the fate of their loved ones. Both initiatives are part of a broader government program to digitise records, verify identities and bring closure to families of hundreds of thousands of missing war veterans.

These coordinated actions illustrate Vietnam’s commitment to using modern forensic science to resolve long‑standing gaps in its war‑time historical record and to honour the memory of its fallen soldiers.