Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng attends a memorial service for the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts at the Route 9 National Martyrs' Cemetery in Quảng Trị. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang.

QUẢNG TRỊ – The remains of 28 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during the war were interred at the National Martyrs' Cemetery on Route 9 on the morning of May 23, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng.

The ceremony was organised by the Quảng Trị Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee of Quảng Trị Province in a solemn atmosphere.

Also in attendance were members of the Party Central Committee; leaders of ministries, branches, central agencies and local authorities; a working delegation from Savannakhet and Khammouane provinces of Laos; and a large number of compatriots and comrades.

The eulogy, delivered by Lê Văn Bảo, Vice Chairman of the Quảng Trị Provincial People's Committee, noted that the ceremony fulfilled the conclusion of General Secretary Tô Lâm on giving greater attention to those who rendered meritorious services to the revolution, and upheld the traditional moral principle of "drinking water, remembering its source". The Party organisation, authorities and people of the fraternal Lao ethnic groups of Savannakhet and Khammouane provinces – and in particular Remains Search Teams 584 and 589 of Quảng Trị Province – had overcome every difficulty to search for and recover the remains, bringing the fallen home after so many years far from their homeland.

Bảo said the sacrifice of the soldiers was a noble symbol of Việt Nam's solidarity with international friends, illuminating the tradition of "helping friends is helping ourselves", a decisive factor in the victory of the revolutions of both Việt Nam and Laos, and a heroic expression of courage, self-sacrifice and proletarian internationalism.

The Party, State and people took immense pride in, and felt boundless gratitude towards, the heroic martyrs, the generations of predecessors and the countless revolutionary fighters who gave their lives for the nation's independence, unity and territorial integrity, and for the freedom and happiness of the people.

Bảo affirmed the commitment to continue implementing the "500-day campaign to intensify the search, recovery and identification of martyrs' remains", with strong political resolve and a spirit of responsibility, to pay tribute to the contributions of heroic martyrs and promote the moral tradition of "drinking water, remembering its source".

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and delegates expressed their profound gratitude to the outstanding sons of the Fatherland who fought and sacrificed bravely for peace, independence and national reunification, and for their lofty international duty, contributing to the special friendship between Việt Nam and Laos and the enduring solidarity between the two peoples.

Over the past year, under the leadership of the Special Task Forces of both the Vietnamese and Lao Governments, the Party Committee of the High Command, and the Steering Committees of Military Region 4 and the special task forces of Quảng Trị, Savannakhet and Khammouane provinces, the search and recovery of martyrs' remains has been carried out effectively. During the 2025-26 dry season, Remains Search Teams 584 and 589 under the Military Command of Quảng Trị Province overcame every difficulty and co-ordinated closely with agencies, sectors, localities and Lao ethnic communities to recover the remains of the 28 soldiers and experts, returning them to their homeland.

At the ceremony, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng presented gifts to officers and soldiers of Remains Search Teams 584 and 589.

Following the ceremony, the Prime Minister and delegates offered incense in tribute at the National Martyrs' Cemetery on Route 9 – the resting place of more than 10,800 martyrs from across the country who fought and died on the Route 9 front, on the Quảng Trị battlefield and in Laos during the resistance war against the Americans for national salvation and independence.

Bowing their heads before the spirits of the heroes and martyrs, the Prime Minister and delegates expressed gratitude for the immense contributions of those who gave their lives for the independence and freedom of the nation. — VNA/VNS