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Major General Pham Van Ty, head of the mission, reads General Phan Van Giang’s letter of congratulation. |
Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Search and Rescue (SAR) Department under the General Staff and Head of the VPA’s SAR mission to Turkey, read the letter before the mission started their duties on the day.
In the letter, the defense chief emphasized that although being formed in a very short period of time, and facing extremely severe weather conditions, dangers from continued tremors, language barriers, difficult living and working conditions, the mission, with their bravery, qualifications, high resolve, has promoted the noble international spirit, national traditions, and good virtues of Uncle Ho’s soldiers, stayed calm, confident, overcome difficulties, hardships, raced against time and capitalized on each minute to search for the victims. They have located many places with victims in a timely manner to later hand over them to the local authorities and functional forces for further search and rescue.
Given that the task in the coming days is still heavy, difficult and dangerous with each second passing, the life of the victim being shortened, Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang hoped that the mission members will exert more efforts and show higher determination for the life and happiness of Turkish people who are in need of their help.
“The Fatherland and the Vietnam People's Army are always proud of and accompany you, my comrades," the letter reads.
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Major General Pham Van Ty assigns duties to the mission before duty performance. |
On behalf of the mission, Major General Pham Van Ty thanked the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense leaders and the defense minister himself, saying that the letter was a great source of encouragement for them to continue to exert all-out efforts to excellently complete the assignment and ensure absolute safety in all aspects.
After listening to the defense minister’s letter, the mission continued their SAR duty according to the agreement with the host coordination agency.
Reported by Van Hieu from Hatay, Turkey
Translated by Mai Huong