The ceremony was jointly organised by the Steering Committee for the search, collection and identification of martyrs’ remains of Ho Chi Minh City, and the Air Defence – Air Force Service.

The 7,104 biological samples, collected from unidentified martyrs’ graves at cemeteries in Ho Chi Minh City, were strictly sealed and packed in 100 specialised containers covered with the national flag.

Brigade 918 transported the samples aboard a CASA-295 aircraft from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi. They will then be handed over to the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology for DNA testing and identification.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Manh Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and head of the city’s steering committee, said that in line with the programme of the central steering committee, the municipal authorities have so far completed the collection of biological samples from more than 9,800 unidentified martyrs’ graves.

The transportation and handover of more than 7,000 samples for DNA testing is an important political task, demonstrating the responsibility and gratitude of the Party organisation, authorities, armed forces and people of Ho Chi Minh City towards the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the former Saigon - Gia Dinh - Cho Lon area, he said.

Alongside search and collection efforts at Le Thi Rieng Park, the city’s steering committee is coordinating with relevant forces and calling on people and organisations to provide information to help identify graves and possible mass-grave sites at 12 locations across the city.

The municipal authorities will continue to carry out the work seriously and responsibly to find and return the remains of those who devoted and sacrificed their youth for the nation’s independence and freedom to their hometowns and families as soon as possible, the official said./.