Gia Lai (VNA) – Team K52 under the Political Division of the Military Command of central Gia Lai province announced on May 8 that while carrying out duties in Ratanakiri province of Cambodia, it has recovered two more sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who gave up their lives during wartime.
The team said that it conducted excavation in Lam village of Ia Tung commune, Ratanakiri's O Ya Dao district, on May 7 after receiving information from Seuh Chenh, 65. Seuh Chenh noted his father, Puih Chenh, who previously lived in Lam village, had participated in support activities alongside Vietnamese troops during the 1968–1973 period and knew the burial locations of Vietnamese soldiers who died in a forest area that once served as a stationing site for Vietnamese forces.
Following information verification, Team K52 deployed personnel and discovered two sets of martyrs’ remains.
During the excavation, the team recovered skulls, teeth, arm and leg bones, along with numerous bone fragments. Several personal artefacts were also found, including military canteens, medical forceps, surgical scissors, a Hong Ha-branded fountain pen, a Penicillin medicine bottle, combs, military uniform buttons, Sao Vang balm, Vietnamese coins and two nylon ponchos.
The identities of the martyrs have yet to be determined, and biological samples have been collected for forensic examination in accordance with regulations.
According to the Gia Lai provincial Military Command, since November 19, 2025, during the 2025–2026 dry season, Team K52 has searched for and recovered 18 sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia. Of the total, eight sets were repatriated from Ratanakiri province, seven from Stung Treng province and three from Preah Vihear province.
Senior Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Viet Ngoc, Political Commissar of Team K52, said the unit will continue expanding search operations and gathering further information related to the burial sites of martyrs.
At present, officers and soldiers of Team K52 are continuing operations in Ratanakiri, Stung Treng and Preah Vihear provinces, intensifying information verification, expanding the search area and effectively implementing the Government’s 500-day-and-night campaign to accelerate the search, recovery and identification of martyrs’ remains./.
Nghe An repatriates remains of 72 volunteer soldiers, experts from Laos
A reception, memorial and burial ceremony for the martyrs will be held at the Nghi Loc Martyrs’ Cemetery in Dong Loc commune on May 20.
