In Ejea de los Caballeros (Province of Zaragoza) 65 victims have so far been recovered from a mass grave at the municipal cemetery. According to the teams involved, a further 41 sets of remains were uncovered during the second campaign, which took place in September and October 2026; 24 had already been recovered in 2025. Local initiatives estimate that around 150 people were originally buried in the grave. It is believed to be the largest mass grave identified to date in Aragon, although this assessment is based on ongoing investigations.
The work is being carried out by the memorial association Batallón Cinco Villas together with an archaeological and anthropological team. Systematic excavation and documentation took place on site, and samples were taken for genetic analysis. The anthropological assessment and DNA tests are not yet complete; the victims’ identities have not been made public. Only the laboratory results can provide reliable identifications and, where possible, help prepare for the return of remains to relatives.
No final decision has yet been made on whether the investigations will continue. The Diputación Provincial de Zaragoza has indicated that further work may take place and announced collaboration with a specialist team from Granada. At the same time, those involved note that not all funding commitments and permits are in place. Representatives of Batallón Cinco Villas warn that bureaucratic procedures and the current political climate could delay the work.
The exhumations concern victims of Francoist repression. For their relatives, they offer the chance to resolve long-standing questions about their fate. Scientifically, the finds provide evidence about how the killings took place and regional patterns of violence, including the position of skeletons, projectile marks and associated finds. The estimated total number of people buried there is based on local registers, witness accounts and archaeological findings. Further fieldwork is needed to systematically investigate the areas of Ejea de los Caballeros cemetery that have not yet been examined.
The next steps depend on the approval of additional budgets, the granting of outstanding permits and laboratory capacity for DNA analysis. Only once these conditions are secured can the second campaign move into a third phase and the process of identifying victims and returning remains to families progress.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).