An Giang (VNA) – An Giang province on July 6 welcomed home two military search teams after they completed the latest dry-season mission to locate and recover remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Cambodia during different periods of war.
At a ceremony held by the provincial Steering Committee for the Search, Collection and Identification of Fallen Soldiers' Remains (Steering Committee 515), K92 and K93 teams were recognised for completing the 25th recovery mission during the 2025-2026 dry season.
According to the Political Division of the An Giang provincial Military Command, the operation faced growing challenges as changing terrain, land development and dwindling information on burial sites made searches increasingly difficult. Despite these obstacles, the teams worked closely with Cambodian authorities, armed forces and local communities to successfully carry out their mission.
During the dry season, the teams searched 173 locations, excavated more than 130,246 cubic metres of earth and recovered the remains of 170 fallen soldiers, including 128 in Cambodia and 42 in An Giang province. They also identified one fallen soldier whose remains were found in Ba Chuc commune.
Since 2001, the two teams have recovered 6,871 sets of remains, including 4,414 in Cambodia, of which 368 have been identified, and 2,457 in An Giang, including 214 whose identities have been confirmed.
In addition to their recovery mission, the teams carried out a range of community activities in Cambodia. They provided free medical check-ups and medicines to more than 800 local residents, donated 100 gift packages worth more than 150 million VND (about 5,700 USD), presented gifts valued at 120 million VND to local authorities, armed forces and communities, treated 495 people, distributed 200kg of emergency rations, and helped repair more than one kilometre of rural road, further strengthening the friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Speaking at the ceremony, Le Van Phuoc, Vice Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People's Committee and Head of Steering Committee 515, praised the dedication and achievements of the two teams during the 2025-2026 dry season.
He said every set of remains recovered and returned to the homeland represents a profound tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the nation's independence, freedom and international obligations.
Phuoc urged relevant agencies to step up coordination, intensify efforts to gather information on fallen soldiers and prepare for the 2026-2027 dry season, while effectively implementing the nationwide 500-day campaign to complete the search, collection and identification of fallen soldiers' remains. He also called for continued support and appropriate policies for personnel engaged in the mission to help them successfully carry out future assignments./.
