Remains of at least 25 people have been exhumed from three grave pits in Zagreb dating from World War II and the post-war period, the Ministry of Veterans' Affairs said on Wednesday.

The remains were retrieved from two mass graves and one individual grave at 77 Savska Street in Zagreb. They will be transferred to the Institute for Forensics and Criminology in Zagreb for examination, after which they will be given a proper burial.

A field investigation and the exhumation were carried out from July 16 to 27, following information the Ministry had received that remains of victims of WWII and the post-war period were possibly buried there. The work was coordinated by the Directorate for Prisoners of War and Missing Persons of the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs, with the participation of other relevant institutions.

Some 2,800 square metres of terrain were investigated in this phase of the investigation.

Due to the complexity and volume of work, as well as the large surface which needs to be examined, several phases of the investigation are planned, and the on-site investigation will continue, the Ministry said.

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