Military Region 7 sets out to search for 825 martyrs' graves in Cambodia in the 2025-2026 dry season

With the goal of searching for 825 martyrs' graves, the K Teams of Military Region 7 continue their journey in the 2025-2026 dry season on Cambodian soil, carrying the faith and responsibility of today's generation for those who fell for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland.

On the morning of November 6, the Steering Committee 515 of Military Region 7 held a ceremony to assign tasks to the teams searching for and collecting the remains of martyrs ( Team K ) of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia during the war to bring them back to the country in phase 25 (dry season 2025 - 2026).

At the departure ceremony, the Steering Committee 515 of Military Region 7 announced the decision to mobilize forces to directly participate in Team K to search and collect martyrs' remains in Cambodia and to demarcate the areas to be searched.

Leaders of Military Region 7 presented flowers and saw off Team K to Cambodia for their mission.

PHOTO: THUY LIEU

The K Teams plan to search for 825 graves. In Cambodia, K Team 70 will carry out missions in Kampong Cham and Tbong Khmum provinces; K Team 71 will carry out missions in Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey and Oldar Meanchey provinces; K Team 72 will survey, search and collect martyrs' remains in Kratie and Kampong Thom provinces; K Team 73 will carry out missions in Svay Rieng, Battambang and Pailin provinces.

Command from the heart

The mission of searching for and collecting the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia is a sacred and extremely arduous task.

Political commissar of Team K73 Dinh Hong Cuong shared that martyrs often sacrificed their lives while fighting in difficult terrain areas such as deep forests, rivers and mountains. The biggest danger when deploying to search is bombs and mines left over from the war. In addition, coordination also faces language barriers and customs between the two countries, requiring high flexibility in work.

During the search journey, there were stories that became a great motivation for the K Teams and also a choking emotion. Mr. Cuong told the story of finding a martyr who had died about 40 years ago but whose remains were still intact.

That image reminded the whole team to try harder than ever, because as time passed, information about the martyrs gradually faded away, and if we did not search urgently, retracing the information would become even more difficult.

Despite facing many difficulties, the spirit of the officers and soldiers of Team K73 is always highly determined and deeply united. The whole team is always thoroughly informed of resolutions and plans, supporting and helping each other to complete this sacred mission.

Royal Cambodian Army leaders welcome Team K at Xa Mat border gate, Tay Ninh province

PHOTO: THUY LIEU

It is commendable that the search work received high-level cooperation between the two Parties and the State and strong support from the Party, government and people of Cambodia. In addition, thanks to good mass mobilization work, Team K73 received the sympathy, support and assistance of the people in Battambang and Pailin provinces.

Determined to search for martyrs' remains until there is no more new information

Assigning tasks to Team K, Major General Tran Chi Tam, Deputy Political Commissar of Military Region, Head of Steering Committee 515 of Military Region 7, emphasized: "The work of collecting, searching for and retrieving martyrs' remains is an especially important and sacred political task, with profound political, social, cultural, humanitarian and humanistic significance.

This is a way to show the nation's gratitude for the noble sacrifice of the heroic martyrs; at the same time, it is also a responsibility, belief, and morality of remembering the source of water when drinking water. This work is not only a duty but also a command from the heart, contributing to easing the pain of war for relatives and families of martyrs."

Major General Tran Chi Tam requested that Team K thoroughly grasp the motto and guiding ideology of the National Steering Committee 515 and Military Region 7: "Proactively overcome difficulties; thoroughly organize and implement each piece of information; search time in Cambodia is not only limited to the dry season but also the rainy season if there is information and must be carried out immediately."

Soldiers take souvenir photos before leaving for duty.

PHOTO: THUY LIEU

Units need to strive to basically complete the search at all locations with information on martyrs' graves by 2030, until there is no more new information.

At the same time, units must regularly coordinate closely with local authorities to promote propaganda and mobilize people of all walks of life in Cambodia on the search for the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia. Thereby, continuing to strengthen the relationship of solidarity, friendship, respect and mutual assistance between the two countries.

In the 2021-2025 period, the Military Region 7 Command said it had searched for and collected more than 2,600 martyrs' remains, including more than 2,000 martyrs' remains in Cambodia and more than 480 martyrs' remains in the country. This work contributes to stabilizing the local socio-political situation and strengthening people's trust in the Party and State's guidelines, policies and strategies towards the army and the army's rear.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/quan-khu-7-xuat-quan-tim-825-mo-liet-si-tai-campuchia-mua-kho-2025-2026-185251106163516496.htm