SVAY RIENG: The Governor of Svay Rieng Province expressed his support and cooperation for the ongoing search of the remains of all Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who were killed during the Khmer Rouge, until all found remains are repatriated to Vietnam.

On Tuesday, 5 April, Svay Rieng Provincial Governor, Men Vibol, said that the current working group between Svay Rieng and Long An province are jointly carrying out the task of searching and collecting for the remains of Vietnamese soldiers who died during the war in Svay Rieng province. This search is currently in its 21st phase, during the dry season of 2021-2022.

According to the Provincial Governor, in 2020-2021, the 20th phase of the excavation and collection activities was missed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, depending on the improved situation, the working group was able to resume operations through a joint memorandum on 16 February 2022.

The governments of Cambodia and Vietnam signed an agreement on 28 August 2000 on the mobilization and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who were killed on Cambodian soil during the Khmer Rouge.

This search and collection effort is conducted every year during the dry season. As of 2017, the remains of nearly 4,000 Vietnamese soldiers in Cambodia still need to be retrieved.