Excavations at the Chemmani mass graves, in Jaffna, have uncovered eight more human skeletal remains, including those of a child, alongside personal items such as an object resembling a child’s feeding bottle, the Tamil Guardian reported on 22 July.

The discoveries were made during the second phase of forensic excavation at two sites designated by the courts as “Forensic Excavation Site No. 01” and “Forensic Excavation Site No. 02” in Chemmani, Jaffna.

Tuesday (22) marked the 17th day of the court-sanctioned 45-day excavation phase, during which the latest remains were identified. The previous day (Monday), seven skeletal remains were also discovered at the same sites. These are expected to be exhumed on Wednesday, bringing the number of skeletal remains identified in just two days to 15.

This phase of excavation work in Chemmani has now spanned 26 days in total and led to the complete exhumation of 65 human remains thus far. The total number of bodies identified so far, stands at 80.

The presence of the suspected child’s remains and associated objects, such as the milk bottle and pieces of cloth, has raised further concerns over the demographics of those buried at the site, as it points to further involvement of Tamil children among the victims.

The Chemmani mass graves have long been tied to allegations of extrajudicial killings carried out by the Sri Lankan military, particularly in the 1990s following the Army’s occupation of the Jaffna peninsula. Survivors, families of the disappeared, and human rights organisations, have repeatedly called for independent investigations into these graves, many of which are believed to contain the remains of Tamils who were abducted, detained, or summarily executed.

Monday also saw the arrival of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), who have now taken over the investigation following an order by the Inspector General of Police. Until now, the Sri Lankan Police in Jaffna had been overseeing the process. The CID’s involvement reportedly sparked disputes at the excavation site, though details remain limited.

As excavations continue, local civil society organisations have urged full transparency and the involvement of international forensic experts to ensure the integrity of the investigation. The latest findings have renewed demands for a credible international mechanism to address mass atrocities committed in the North-East.