The recovery team uses a mine detector to clear the search area before beginning excavation. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Efforts to search for, recover and identify the remains of fallen soldiers are being stepped up in the former Vị Xuyên battlefield, the northern province of Tuyên Quang, under the nationwide 500-day campaign to intensify the work.

The martyrs’ remains recovery team under the Tuyên Quang provincial Military Command has strengthened its personnel, equipment and technical resources while coordinating with engineering units to clear unexploded ordnance and conduct recovery operations at key sites in Vị Xuyên, where fierce fighting took place during the northern border defence war.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Trần Quang Huy, head of the recovery team, said the mission has become increasingly challenging due to changes in terrain, the passage of time and the limited number of surviving witnesses. Unexploded bombs and mines also continue to pose risks to search personnel.

To improve efficiency, the team has worked closely with local authorities, residents and war veterans to collect information and identify potential burial sites. Valuable leads from witnesses have helped locate many sets of remains in recent months, according to Lieutenant Colonel Bùi Phú Vinh, commissar of the team.

Sets of remains are brought to the team’s temporary shelter before memorial rites. — VNA/VNS Photo

Since the launch of the campaign, the team has searched more than 400ha, excavated over 4,000cu.m of soil and rock, and recovered the remains of 10 martyrs along with two collective graves.

Colonel Nguyễn Hoài Nam, Political Commissar of the Tuyên Quang provincial Military Command, said local authorities have provided strong support for the campaign, enabling search teams to accelerate efforts and work towards fulfilling the campaign’s objectives. — VNA/VNS