Cambodia: UXO accidents decrease sharply

A total of 79 accidents caused by unexploded ordnance left by the war were recorded in Cambodia in the first eight months of this year, down 39 percent against the same period last year, according to the Cambodian Mine

A total of 79 accidents caused by unexploded ordnance (UXO) left by the war were recorded in Cambodia in the first eight months of this year, down 39 percent against the same period last year, according to the Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA).

Deactivating UXOs in Cambodia (Source: phnompenhpost.com)

The CMAC said that those accidents left 15 dead and 48 wounded, a sharp decrease from 17 dead and 80 injured in the same period of 2014.

Cambodia is among countries suffering the most from UXO, with an estimated 4-6 million unexploded mines, bombs and other munitions buried in the country after decades of war.

The Cambodian government set the target to clear all UXOs by 2020, but to meet the goal, the country needs about 50 million USD each year.

From 1979 to March 2015, bombs and mines killed 19,710 and injured 44,797 others in Cambodia.