Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà listens to reports on the preparations for the launch of a search and recovery operation for the remains of fallen soldiers on Monday morning at Lê Thị Riêng Cultural Park in HCM City. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY – Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà on Sunday inspected preparations for the launch of a search and recovery operation for the remains of fallen soldiers on Monday morning at Lê Thị Riêng Cultural Park in HCM City.

As head of the National Steering Committee for the Search, Collection and Identification of Martyrs' Remains, Trà reviewed the entire programme and organisational plans for the event.

Saying the ceremony is of special significance, she instructed Military Region 7 Command and the HCM City People's Committee, and their steering committees to carefully review every stage of the preparations to ensure the event is conducted safely, solemnly and in accordance with Việt Nam's tradition of remembering those who sacrificed for the nation.

The Deputy PM said the ceremony should demonstrate the Party and State's highest sense of responsibility and gratitude towards martyrs and their families.

She directed the organisers to invite all historical witnesses and representatives of the forces involved in searching for, recovering and identifying martyrs' remains to attend the ceremony. She also requested thorough preparations for incense-offering and memorial rituals at both the excavation site and the temporary mortuary, ensuring they are conducted respectfully in line with Vietnamese cultural traditions.

Looking ahead to the recovery operation, Trà instructed Military Region 7 and HCM City authorities to establish detailed procedures covering excavation, collection, forensic sampling, preservation of remains and personal belongings, and memorial services before the martyrs are reburied at cemeteries.

She stressed that the work must be undertaken by qualified specialists with meticulous attention to detail to ensure no evidence is overlooked. Relevant agencies were also asked to provide regular progress reports to the national steering committee and promptly report any issues requiring guidance.

Trà placed particular emphasis on identifying the recovered remains. She called for broader cooperation with specialised agencies to analyse personal artefacts and other available information, while urging local authorities to collect DNA samples from martyrs' relatives as early as possible to facilitate identification.

She also requested stronger public communications on the search and recovery effort, both at home and abroad, highlighting the Party, State and military's enduring commitment to honouring those who sacrificed for Việt Nam's national liberation and reunification.

Investigations have led to the preliminary identification of several suspected mass graves believed to contain the remains of soldiers killed during the Mậu Thân Spring 1968 General Offensive and Uprising in the area now occupied by Lê Thị Riêng Cultural Park in Hoà Hưng ward.

The offensive, commonly known in the west as the Tết Offensive, was one of the largest military campaigns against the American military forces. — VNA/VNS