Remains of 18 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers repatriated from Cambodia
VOV.VN - Gia Lai province on June 10 held a solemn ceremony to receive the remains of 18 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives while performing international duties in Cambodia, bringing them home after years of search and recovery efforts.
The remains were recovered by Team K52 under the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command during the 2025–2026 dry-season search mission in the northeastern Cambodian provinces of Stung Treng, Ratanakiri and Preah Vihear.
At around 4:30 p.m., the convoy carrying the martyrs’ remains crossed Le Thanh International Border Gate into Vietnam. Military personnel and local authorities held a solemn reception ceremony to welcome the fallen soldiers back to their homeland.
Along the nearly 20-kilometre route from the border gate to Duc Co commune, thousands of local residents, students, youth volunteers, officials and soldiers gathered on both sides of the road to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives and fulfilled international missions.
Following the reception ceremony, the remains and accompanying artefacts were transferred to the Duc Co Martyrs Memorial Temple, where they will be preserved and honoured according to Vietnamese traditions ahead of memorial and reburial services.
Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich, vice chairwoman of the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee and head of the provincial Steering Committee 515, said this year's recovery mission carried special significance as search efforts have become increasingly difficult over time.
According to her, more than half a century after the war, landscapes in many areas of Cambodia have changed significantly, while many witnesses have passed away. In some former conflict zones, difficult terrain and limited historical information have further complicated search and verification efforts.
Despite these challenges, the recovery team successfully located and repatriated the remains of 18 martyrs, allowing them to return home after decades away from their homeland.
According to provincial authorities, a requiem ceremony for the fallen soldiers will be held on June 12. Official visitation, memorial and burial services for the 18 martyrs will take place on June 13 at Duc Co Martyrs Cemetery in Gia Lai province.
Vietnam–Cambodia Friendship Monument inaugurated in Pursat, Cambodia
VOV.VN - Cambodia's Pursat province on June 10 inaugurated the Vietnam–Cambodia Friendship Monument, marking another friendship monument built across the Kingdom to commemorate the long-standing solidarity and historical bonds between the peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia.
