On the afternoon of June 22, Steering Committee 515 of An Giang province organized an online conference to deploy the "Operation 500 days and nights to promote the search, repatriation and identification of martyrs' remains" and the work of taking samples and handing over samples of martyrs' remains in the province. The conference was connected online to the Party Committees, People's Committees of communes, wards, and special zones with martyrs' cemeteries in the province.
At the conference, delegates were thoroughly grasped the key contents of the "Operation 500 Days and Nights" towards the 80th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2027); deploying a plan to organize sampling, hand over martyrs' remains samples and identify martyrs' identities using DNA testing methods.
According to reports, the whole province currently has 20 martyrs' cemeteries with 35,945 graves, of which more than 30,000 graves are missing or have not been identified. Implementing the task of searching for and repatriating martyrs' remains in phase XXV (dry season 2025 - 2026), the forces have searched for and repatriated 149 martyrs' remains in the province and in Cambodia. In the coming time, the province strives to complete the sampling of graves that have not been identified, accelerate the progress of identifying martyrs' remains by DNA testing method, contributing to the good implementation of the military rear policy and gratitude work.
To effectively implement the task, the Steering Committee 515 of the province has established an inter-sectoral working group and 2 teams to take samples of martyrs' remains. According to the plan, Chau Phu Martyrs' Cemetery, Vinh Thanh Trung commune is selected as a pilot to organize sample collection, hand over samples of martyrs' remains and draw experience before deploying synchronously throughout the province. It is expected that in two days, June 30 and July 1, 2026, the forces will take 37 samples of martyrs' remains that have not been identified for DNA testing.
Speaking at the conclusion of the conference, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Van Phuoc requested departments, branches, and localities to continue to improve responsibility, strengthen propaganda, review, and collect information about martyrs and martyrs' graves; closely coordinate in the work of searching, repatriating, taking samples and identifying martyrs' remains. At the same time, mobilize the strength of the entire political system and people from all walks of life to effectively participate in the "Operation 500 Days and Nights", contributing to expressing gratitude to heroic martyrs and meeting the aspirations of relatives of martyrs' families.
