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What is Project Khthon?
OPEN SOURCE SATELLITE INTELLIGENCE
Formed in 2022, Khthon is an OSINT and SATINT-based humanitarian NGO that locates, analyses, and reports mass graves and other war crimes in hidden conflicts around the world.​The name "Khthon" is derived from the Ancient Greek word "χθÏŽν", which, depending on the context, can mean "of the soil" or "of the underworld", which we think is quite a smart piece of wordplay considering our speciality in finding mass graves and the people in them.
Statement of Academic Integrity
At Project Khthon, we are steadfast in our commitment to neutrality and non-partisanship. Our mission is to locate, analyze, and report mass graves to the relevant organizations and the public, shedding light on war crimes and crimes against humanity that might otherwise remain concealed.
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In alignment with core humanitarian and academic principles, we ensure that our actions are objective, impartial and independent, focusing solely on the humanitarian imperative to protect life and health and to ensure respect for human dignity.
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We do not engage in political, racial, religious, or ideological conflicts, nor do we take sides in hostilities. This approach guarantees that our work remains unbiased and centered on the humanitarian needs of affected
populations.
Media
Meet the Team
Sam McKnight
Director
Hi, I'm Sam McKnight. Director of Khthon
Bertie Woolley
Project Manager | Sahel
Hi, I’m Bertie, I’m currently the project manager for the Sahel Team. My day job is a light cavalry soldier in the British Army, where I developed a strong passion for armoured vehicle recognition. I joined Project Khthon in April 2024, drawn by the opportunity to help in both through my military knowledge and my desire to refine my analytical skills. I am increasingly motivated by the projects good work and amazing teamwork.
Declan Bracken
Project Manager | AI/ML
Hi, I’m Declan, a Canadian engineer with a masters degree specializing in analytics and data science. I began working at Project Khthon as a way to apply my unique skillset to a cause which I found both technically challenging and culturally important. Khthon as an open-source intelligence operation allows me to contribute to a cause greater than myself and collaborate with talented individuals from different corners of the planet.
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Rebecca Franzin
Deputy Director | Project Manager | Sudan
I'm Rebecca, I study long-term conflicts and genocide. I work with Project Khthon because I think it's important to gather evidence of war crimes, to make sure justice can be pursued one day, as well as to to facilitate the reconstruction process in the aftermath of violence.
Joël Gugler
Field operator/Photographer
Joël Gugler has spent over a decade in conflict zones and regions affected by war crimes - solo. As a field operator with Khthon, he brings practical, on-the-ground experience to the team to help identify potential sites. Recently, he co-led fieldwork in Ukraine with Khthon’s director, Sam McKnight, where he helped provide context and visual documentation of mass grave sites. His role supports the organization’s efforts in uncovering the harsh realities behind the data.
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Alexandra Boza
Social Media Manager
Hi, I’m Lexi Boza, an English and Spanish major at Trinity University. I study literature, but I have always had an interest in history and the way authors interact with their social and political environments. I am the Social Media Manager at Project Khthon, helping direct the project’s social media presence. I started working with Project Khthon in October 2024 in an effort to support the people making a difference in the world in whatever small way I can. It’s amazing to work with so many talented people as they make their mark on history.
Daniel Zygiel-Clague
Transnational Security Nexus
I have close to a decade of experience in global security operations, terrorism response training and risk analysis. I obtained my bachelors degree in political science and Russian studies from the College of the Holy Cross, during which time I conduct research in Washington D.C and in Moscow on Russian influence campaigns in the U.S and the transition from military to mercenary functions of foreign services. I obtained my masters at the Institute of World Politics, where I wrote about psychology of terrorism and transnational crime, disinformation campaigns and more. My most recent research focuses on state sponsored right wing extremism and the examination of theocratic influences on multinational organizations and countries.
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Kennan McAndrews
Project Manager | Myanmar ( Burma )
My name is Kennan McAndrews and I am the project manager of Khthon’s Myanmar team. I am working with my team to compile a comprehensive list of verified mass graves in Myanmar. I am an international relations student at St Andrews and originally from Phoenix, Arizona. When I am not working, I enjoy playing volleyball and reading history books.
Riya Stevens
Project Manager | Geographical Info. Systems
As the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Project Manager for Project Khthon, I oversee the development of both interactive and standard base maps to accurately document and display the locations of war crimes and mass graves worldwide. By utilizing a range of advanced GIS software, I ensure that our visualizations enhance public understanding and awareness of these critical issues.My passion for GIS began during my Geography studies at the University of Liverpool, further enriched by a year abroad at Queen’s University. Committed to using my skills for the greater good, I am proud to contribute to Project Khthon’s mission of shedding light on human rights violations and ensuring transparency and accountability on a global scale.
Ione Fulton
Legal Volunteer
A legal eagle helping Khthon navigate the complex landscape of international law.
Khthon's Dictionary
The Khthon Definition of a "Mass Grave".
As an organisation whose primary focus is the finding, analysing and reporting of mass graves, it is important that we provide a definition of our own, distinct from the handful of other attempts that have been made in the past. The phrase "mass grave" is one based mostly on situational context and a particular sense of horror surrounding large concentrations of human remains and the imprecise nature of the word "mass". As such "mass graves " tends to be a mostly colloquial term. However, it is still important to define, as best as possible, a term that represents the common expression for one of humanity's gravest methods of burial, one that is often directly correlated to mass death scenarios such as epidemics and massacres.
1. There is some flexibility, but a mass grave consists of four or more persons in a single pit or space in the ground. Usually, this space has been created before or after the killing event for this express purpose. Although at other times, natural voids have been taken advantage of, with the sides and bottom of the "box",being provided already. All that is required is a "lid" or layer of soil to be added on top, as was the case at the ravine of Babi Yar, where the Nazis covered the remains in soil and lime.
2. Mass graves are unnatural and created by humans. This precludes natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. Examples include ash deposits on victims at Pompeii or the volcanic mudflow disaster in Columbia. Despite the similar circumstances, i.e., large numbers of people being covered in natural material in a large-scale death scenario, it cannot accurately be called a grave, largely due to the definition of a grave being something created by humans. These large collections of human remains in one location as a result of a natural disaster are thus difficult to define or label. We suggest that if they wereto be called a "mass grave" the prefix "natural" be added on.
4. Further, a mass grave must be created in a short time, without chronologically wide-spaced depositions and layers. If the layer of remains have become sublimated into their environment and are covered by soil, only for more remains to be added on top in the future, this would be difficult to characterise as a mass grave. In our thinking, it seems more apt to describe it as a "multiple burial site."