A memorial and reburial ceremony was held on the morning of 21/5. Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, who also heads the National Steering Committee for the Search, Collection, and Identification of Fallen Soldiers' Remains, attended the event. Other attendees included leaders from the Ministry of National Defense, Military Region 4, Nghe An province, and representatives from Laos' Vientiane, Xieng Khouang, and Xaysomboun provinces.

The 80 sets of remains were exhumed and collected by the Repatriation Team of the Nghe An Provincial Military Command. The team conducted the search during the 2025-2026 dry season across three Laotian provinces. The identities of these fallen soldiers remain unknown.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Khac Than (front row, from right) and other delegates move the fallen soldiers' remains to their final resting place on the morning of 21/5. *Photo: Hung Le*

During the ceremony, attending delegations offered flowers and incense, paying tribute to the fallen soldiers. These individuals sacrificed for Vietnam's independence and freedom, and fulfilled their international duties in friendly Laos. Following the memorial service, the remains were interred at Nghi Loc martyrs' cemetery in Dong Loc commune.

Phung Thanh Vinh, Vice Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, expressed profound gratitude to the Party, Government, and people of Laos. He thanked them for their support and protection of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts during wartime, and for their ongoing assistance in the search and repatriation of fallen soldiers' remains over many years.

Delegates commemorate fallen heroes at the martyrs' cemetery in Dong Loc commune. *Photo: Hung Le*

Nghe An provincial leaders also acknowledged the dedicated efforts of the Provincial Military Command's Repatriation Team. The team overcame numerous challenges to locate, exhume, and safely bring the fallen soldiers back to Vietnam.

Representatives from the Laotian provinces reciprocated the gratitude to Vietnam. They affirmed their continued cooperation in the search and repatriation of fallen soldiers' remains in the future.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra and delegates light incense at the graves of fallen soldiers at the martyrs' cemetery in Dong Loc commune. *Photo: Hung Le*

Nghe An shares the longest border with Laos in Vietnam, stretching over 468 km. Throughout various conflicts, tens of thousands of the province's soldiers were either killed or wounded in Laos. Over the years, Nghe An has collaborated with Laotian localities to search for and repatriate nearly 13,000 remains of fallen volunteer soldiers and experts. Of these, 1,680 sets of remains have been identified, and 937 cases have been returned to their families for reburial in their hometowns.

Duc Hung