The 35th anniversary of Cambodia’s victory over the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime (January 7, 1979) was marked in various places in Vietnam on January 7.

Addressing a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, Lt. Gen. Pham Van Dy, political commissar of the Military Zone 7 High Command, recalled the crimes the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot and Ieng Sari, had committed in three years, eight months and 20 days, during which they killed more than two million Cambodians, taking the country to the verge of genocide.

They also launched an invasion on Vietnam’s southwestern border region, he said, adding that between May 1975 and December 23, 1978, the brutal regime killed more than 25,000 Vietnamese people and injured nearly 5,000 others.

The invaders destroyed many schools, hospitals, churches, pagodas and paddy fields along Vietnam’s border with Cambodia, Dy said.

To counter the barbarous acts of the Pol Pot regime and in response to the urgent call made by the Cambodian people, the Vietnamese Party, State, army and citizens took action to exercise their legitimate self-defence right and at the same time help the Cambodian people topple the murderous regime.

This was a desire shared by the two countries’ people, in line with common sense and international law, the officer noted.

The victory over the regime is of special significance to the existence, development and prosperity of Cambodia , he said, stressing that the victory is also the joint triumph of the two peoples.

The armed forces of Military Zone 7 have fulfilled their missions of maintaining political security, protecting the country’s southwest border region and helping Cambodia escape from the genocidal regime.

Vu Mao, President of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, said the historic victory opened up a bright future for the relationship between the two countries.

The same day, the Military Zone 9 High Command also organised a ceremony in Can Tho city to mark the victory.-VNA