On October 23, Quang Ngai's provincial committee for the search, recovery and identification of fallen service members held a meeting at Ngoc Linh Hall in Kon Tum ward to review its 2026 work and the first stage of the 500 Days and Nights campaign.
During the first stage, the committee received 738 reports, held 14 information and survey meetings and a scientific workshop on grave locations along Truong Chinh Street.
The province carried out 60 surveys in 60 areas, involving 1,035 officials, soldiers and other personnel. The committee also held 27 meetings with witnesses, veterans and local authorities and compared 35 valuable information sources and documents.
Search teams recovered the remains of 49 fallen service members. Verification is continuing to prepare further search plans.
The province completed biological sampling from all 13,514 unidentified graves, 45 days ahead of the provincial plan and five months ahead of the national plan. All samples were handed to the Military Institute of Forensic Medicine.
Quang Ngai police collected DNA samples from 2,970 relatives to help identify the remains.
In the 2025–2026 dry season, Quang Ngai worked with Laos and Cambodia to recover the remains of 16 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and specialists. For the 2026–2027 dry season, the K53 team began work in Laos two months early and has recovered three sets of remains in Attapeu province.
Party Secretary Ho Van Nien praised the committee's work and asked less effective units to identify causes and take corrective measures.
He ordered the provincial committee and military command to survey five mass grave sites provided by the national committee and Military Region 5 and complete the excavations and searches. Units must continue reviewing areas where questions remain.
Ho Van Nien called on authorities to carry out the second stage of the campaign in a coordinated way. Quang Ngai aims to recover the remains of 280 fallen service members in this stage.
The provincial People's Committee chairman presented certificates of merit to 12 organizations and 39 individuals for outstanding work in the campaign.
Sources: Thanh Niên
