In Phnom Penh, Cambodia (AP), a devastating incident unfolded when a rocket-propelled grenade, believed to be over 25 years old, tragically claimed the lives of two young cousins, a 2-year-old girl and boy. The heartbreaking event occurred on Saturday in rural northwestern Cambodia, near their homes in Siem Reap province’s Svay Leu district. This region had witnessed intense conflict in the 1980s and 1990s between Cambodian government forces and the rebel guerrillas of the communist Khmer Rouge, who were overthrown from power in 1979.
The unfortunate victims, Muo Lisa and her male cousin Thum Yen, resided in adjacent houses in the secluded village of Kranhuong. While their parents were engaged in farm work, the toddlers stumbled upon the unexploded ordnance, leading to a fatal detonation. Analysis conducted by experts from the Cambodian Mine Action Center identified the remnants as belonging to a rocket-propelled grenade. The deteriorating state of such old munitions poses heightened risks as their explosive contents become increasingly unstable.
CMAC Director-General Heng Ratana lamented the tragedy, emphasizing that the parents were unaware of the presence of landmines or unexploded ordnance near their homes situated on former battlegrounds. He expressed sorrow over the untimely deaths of the innocent children, remarking that they should not have met such a tragic end at such a tender age.
Cambodia’s countryside remains littered with an estimated 4-6 million landmines and unexploded munitions as a grim legacy of the decades-long conflict spanning from 1970 to 1998. Despite the cessation of hostilities, the toll from leftover war explosives continues to haunt the nation, with nearly 20,000 fatalities and 45,000 injuries recorded since the conflict’s end. While the number of casualties has decreased over time, with 49 deaths reported last year, the menace of landmines and remnants of war ammunition still pose a significant threat to the Cambodian populace.
Heng Ratana highlighted the enduring impact of landmines and unexploded ordnance on Cambodian society, despite more than 25 years of relative peace following the war’s conclusion. He stressed the ongoing struggle faced by the Khmer people due to the remnants of past conflicts, which continue to claim innocent lives.
Cambodia boasts a highly skilled demining workforce, with thousands of personnel deployed under U.N. auspices to various regions including Africa and the Middle East over the past decade. The country’s demining efforts garnered global attention when U.S. financial aid for demining activities in eight provinces was temporarily halted due to President Donald Trump’s foreign assistance freeze. However, Heng Ratana announced on Thursday that Washington had granted a waiver, allowing the resumption of aid amounting to $6.36 million from March
