Combatants, military men and war veterans on February 15 commemorated those who were killed in the war in Afghanistan. They said that those horrible days will remain for ever in the memory of those who fought in the war and of those who waited for them at home. Dumitru Partecov, who was a commander during the Afghan war, came to Chisinau from Cahul to lay flowers to the memorial to the heroes who died in that war. “This commemoration event is an additional occasion for coming together and remembering those times. We do not want to lose contact as we fought together. We saw dead and injured people. We saw pain and sorrow. But we are grateful that an official day was instituted for remembering the dead,” said the veteran. Petru Grosu, mayor of Volcinet village of Ocnita district, was sent to fight in Afghanistan, where he lost dozens of comrades. “In a war, you must fight if you want to survive. Many persons died there, while many of those who remained alive are invalids,” said Petru Grosu. Five persons from Ocnita district died in the Afghan war. A memorial to those who were killed in the war will be unveiled in Ocnita on February 16. Vera Cibotaru, who prepared food for the soldiers, said many of those she knew were killed in the war. “A lot of soldiers died, but they have not been properly buried. The soldiers went to fight in the mountains, while the women waited for them with fear. Most of the fighting took place at night. Many of those women who returned home are ill. The Government should provide assistance to these persons,” she stated. Afghan war participant Ilie Damian said all the people not only those whose relatives and friends were killed in the war should commemorate this day. According to him, those who died on the battlefield are real heroes as they gave their lives for the motherland. Starting with 2011, February 15 is officially the Day of Remembrance of Those Killed in the Afghan War. This year, it is 22 years of the pullout of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan. About 300 Moldovans were killed in that war that lasted for nine years.