Tay Ninh (VNA) – A ceremony was held at Xa Mat International Border Gate, the southern province of Tay Ninh, on December 10 to receive the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Cambodia during wartime.
The event was organised by Tay Ninh province’s Steering Committee for the Search, Collection and Identification of Martyrs’ Remains (Steering Committee 515), marking the completion of the first phase of the 25th search-and-collection mission (2025–2026 dry season).
During 34 days of operations in Cambodia (November 6–December 10, 2025), the search teams recovered 180 sets of remains: 16 by Team K70, 140 by Team K71, and 24 by Team K73.
Colonel Nguyen Duc Thuan, head of Team K71, noted that the teams were deployed to search and collect remains in several Cambodian provinces on November 6. Team K70 worked in Kampong Cham and Tboung Khmum provinces; Team K71 in Seam Reap, Banteay Meanchey and Otdar Meanchey; and Team K73 in Prey Veng, Battambang and Pailin—covering a total of 343 reported burial sites.
Throughout the mission, he noted, officers and soldiers overcame difficult conditions and worked closely with the guards and communities in Cambodian military sub-zones. The teams also conducted outreach activities, offering financial support, essential goods, and free medical check-ups and medicine to local residents, thus helping strengthen friendship and solidarity between the two countries.
Colonel Nguyen Minh Tan, Deputy Political Commissar of the provincial Military Command and deputy head of Steering Committee 515, commended the teams for their dedication and results. He also thanked Cambodian authorities and local military units for their support during the mission.
As the teams return to Vietnam after completing Phase 1, Tan requested them to coordinate with relevant agencies to complete handover procedures, and to prepare for a solemn memorial and re-burial ceremony. He also instructed them to begin preparations for Phase 2 of the 25th mission, including equipment checks, Khmer language training, and technical refresher courses.
He stressed that the search for and collection of martyrs’ remains is a sacred political task that reflects the nation’s profound gratitude and long-standing tradition of honouring those who made ultimate sacrifices.
Following the ceremony, officials, military officers, and local residents escorted the remains to the martyrs’ remains storage house at Hill 82 Martyrs’ Cemetery in Tan Bien commune, and to Team K73’s remains storage house, before the repatriated were handed over to the provincial Department of Home Affairs for further arrangements./.
