Vietnam and Cambodia to intensify search for war martyrs' remains

martyrs' remains repatriation Vietnam-Cambodia relations war veterans search and recovery

Vietnam and Cambodia have agreed to intensify coordination to search for, recover, and repatriate the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia during the war. This agreement was reached during the 25th meeting of the specialized committees of both governments held in Ho Chi Minh City from August 16 to 20.

Despite the increasing difficulty of locating burial sites, Vietnam plans to continue deploying 11 search and recovery teams across various Cambodian provinces. During the 2025-2026 dry season, these efforts resulted in the recovery of 850 sets of remains. Both nations will also increase public awareness campaigns to encourage citizens to provide information regarding fallen soldiers and their graves.

Simultaneously, in Ho Chi Minh City, search teams are actively recovering remains at Le Thi Rieng Park. Since June 23, 351 sets of martyrs' remains have been recovered at the park, including 318 individual remains and 33 sets from eight mass grave locations. Efforts are also expanding to search for remains in the Thuong Tan area, where five sets of remains have been identified.

These operations are part of a broader mission to honor fallen soldiers and provide closure to their families through scientific excavation, DNA testing, and historical verification.

Entities

Cambodia · Ho Chi Minh City · Ho Chi Minh City Command · Le Quang Minh · Le Thi Rieng Park · Nguyen Thanh Trung · Pol Sareoun · Vietnam People's Army

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The Ho Chi Minh City Command reported the recovery of 321 martyrs' remains between June 23 and August 14. mattran.org.vn · baochinhphu.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] Authorities have completed searches for two of the three initially identified grave trenches. mattran.org.vn · baochinhphu.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] Ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity methods have not yet located two additional trenches mentioned by witnesses. mattran.org.vn · baochinhphu.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] Ho Chi Minh City has established a specialized research team including scientists and researchers to assist in the identification process. mattran.org.vn · baochinhphu.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] The recovered remains consist of 288 individuals found separately and 33 individuals from 8 mass grave locations in areas A and B. mattran.org.vn · baochinhphu.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] 182 of the recovered remains at Le Thi Rieng Park included personal belongings. mattran.org.vn · baochinhphu.vn