Hồ Văn Niên (right), Secretary of the Gia Lai Province Party Committee, is leading the repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia back to their homeland. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Thái

GIA LAI — Authorities in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai on Thursday held memorial and reburial services at the Đức Cơ District martyrs’ cemetery for the remains of 21 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who fought and lost their lives in Cambodia during wartime.

The remains were found and repatriated by Team K52 of the Gia Lai Military Command during the 2023-24 dry season, with support from the authorities and people of the Cambodian provinces of Ratanakiri, Stung Treng, and Preah Vihear.

Over the past years, the team has repatriated the remains of 1,489 Vietnamese soldiers who fell down in Cambodia.

Keo Sa Vuoen, deputy head of the three Cambodian provinces’ specialised committee, said the Cambodian people always remember and never forget the great contributions by many Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who scarified their lives for liberating Cambodia and helping its people escape from the Pol Pot genocidal regime.

She requested authorities at all levels, the armed forces, and people of the Cambodian provinces continue to coordinate with the specialised committee and Team K52 in the search for and collection of martyrs' remains in the upcoming 2024-25 dry season. — VNS