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Shocking Discovery: 27 Unexploded Ordnance Found In A Local Garden In Xuan Trach Commune, Quang Binh, Vietnam

On 10 April 2025, a total of 27 deadly rounds of 75mm Armor Penetrating High Explosive (AP-HE) projectiles were reported to NPA non-technical survey team during an interview with 62-year-old farmer, Tran Thi Luc, in Village 6, Xuan Trach commune, Bo Trach district.

“I was just cutting back some vegetation to make way for expanding new crops when I stumbled upon these strange objects that gave me goosebumps,” Mrs. Luc recalled. “That was five years ago. I didn’t know who to report to, so I just stayed away from the area.”
243 QB CMRS 27 items in garden Mrs Tran Thi Luc Xuan Trach
Mrs. Tran Thi Luc is sharing information about the items she encountered with NTS surveyor Hoang Xuan Tinh.
243 QB CMRS 27 items in garden Mrs Tran Thi Luc Xuan Trach 2
The 27 projectiles were covered under bushes, before being exposed.
243 QB CMRS 27 items in garden Mrs Tran Thi Luc Xuan Trach 3
Promoting the provincial hotline number - 18001741, together with safety messages is key to raising community awareness and local safety from unexploded ordnance.
243 QB CMRS 27 items in garden Mrs Tran Thi Luc Xuan Trach 4
Once these hazardous items are removed, Mrs. Luc can be more assured in expanding the cultivating area in her garden.

For years, Mrs. Luc quietly cultivated a small area behind her house to grow vegetables for her family of nine, avoiding the area where she found the suspicious items – unaware of the ongoing risks lurking beneath her feet.

Thanks to her report, NPA NTS team quickly pinpointed the location and coordinated with PeaceTrees Vietnam to safely dispose of the explosive rounds.

“What a relief to finally have those dangerous items removed.” Said Mrs. Luc, visibly emotional. “Now I can make full use of the land for my family's needs.”.

This case is a powerful reminder of the hidden legacy of war and the importance of constantly raising community awareness through safety messages and promoting the provincial hotline number 18001741, so that no future EO findings will go unreported and all items found can be handled in a timely manner.

NPA would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the U.S. Department of State for their ongoing support and invaluable funding for the NPA CMRS Project. This initiative is an essential part of the joint project in Quang Binh province, implemented by the Consortium of Norwegian People's Aid Vietnam, MAG Vietnam, and PeaceTrees Vietnam.